This Girl Is On Fire
by Lana Archer
Summary: Alice and Bonnie are brought to one another through a host of visions. Where Bonnie's surround Alice alone, Alice uncovers the truths of Bonnie's destiny and sets out to save her from herself. How will the help of the Cullens alter the paths of the Mystic Falls citizens and will those batting for the dark side still manage to unleash hell on Earth?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

_**Mystic Falls**_

Bonnie had been 'seeing' her for weeks now and it was always the same. She had bright amber eyes that glowed whenever her face crinkled in a smile. Her skin was pale, unnaturally so, her hair was short and wispy – black as night. Her teeth were perfect and dazzling, crystal cut. She was short, about the same frame as the dreamer, but Bonnie had never seen this girl in all her life. She had her hand extended, looking at Bonnie, like she's known her all her life, and she would say the same words.

"It's now or never Bon-Bon, _trust_ me." Her melodic voice sang through into the forefront of Bonnie's mind, long after she'd woken from her latest dream. Sighing, she shoved her blanket off of herself and shuffled blindly into her bathroom. Splashing her face with cold water she shuddered and towelled herself off.

"Who are you?" she whispered as she gazed into her reflection.

_**Forks, Washington**_

"I need to find her Edward, _why_, I don't know…" Alice harped, her usual optimism drowned out with annoyance. For months she had been seeing the same girl, bright green eyes, and warm brown skin hidden under paisley patterned dresses, with licks of fire curling around her hands. Edward knew all this thanks to his mind reading capabilities and yet he, along with the rest of the Cullen's was against her doing what her vision demanded.

"Alice, we're not going to let you go and find someone, with _fire-tipped fingers_ no less, because you feel the need to quell your boredom." Edward said, managing to sigh throughout the entire sentence.

"This has nothing to do with boredom Edward, in fact, you should be the one to quell your boredom, and you've done nothing but sulk for the last decade."

"Now, now Alice. That is no way to treat your brother" Carlisle chastised as he appeared on the other end of the living room. Alice drew in a breath and steadied herself.

"Carlisle, this is something I _have_ to do, I can't explain it, I just need to do this and I would have preferred you're support in it all, but I am going to save her, I would have wanted someone to do the same thing for me."

"One of us will accompany you, if this is something you're insistent on," he waved off her look of exasperation, "Then so be it. I support you."

"I'll go with you." Edward offered, standing up from the couch and leaving the room without another word.

_**Mystic Falls**_

"I have the same dreams all the time…" Caroline babbled happily trying to diffuse her friend's distress as she nibbled on a piece of red liquorice, "once, for like two weeks all I dreamt of was a cupboard full of Laboutins, seriously. It was insane."

"I'm having the dreams about the same _person_ Care, not a lifetime supply of overpriced footwear." Bonnie said, groaning. "I've never seen her in my life and the dream is always the same, she wears the same jacket and smiles the same smile. And she's so nice to me…"

"I'm nice to you!" the blonde argued, feigning hurt, "Okay Bon, I get it. Oh! Maybe you're physic like Grams?" Bonnie raised her eyebrows and refused to comment. They were sitting outside in the school quad waiting for Elena and her new mysterious boyfriend. Bonnie smiled at the memory of how Caroline had all but proposed to him upon his arrival and yet all he could see was Elena. Bonnie was sure Caroline's ego could handle it and was glad Elena finally had a distraction. The day was unusually overcast and both girls huddled further into their coats while they continued in their idle chatter.

"Hey guys!" Elena called as she jogged over with Stefan in tow. Caroline's eyes lingered on the boy for a moment too long but she recovered and stood up to hug her friend. Bonnie smiled at Stefan and pulled Elena in for a warm hug.

"Sit, sit" Caroline said smiling. Stefan waited until Elena was seated before he settled himself.

"How are you two doing today?" he inquired and looked between Elena's friends, hoping they would accept him as fully as she had. The blonde shrugged indifferently and said something about sleep deprivation due to a movie marathon with the green eyed girl.

"We, uh, watched back to back movies starring Johnny Depp," Bonnie explained, smiling as genuinely as she could, "but Caroline over here does a really good chainsaw impression when she sleeps so if _anyone_ is going to be moaning about sleep deprivation here… it'll be me!" Caroline gave her a light flick on her shoulder and laughed. Elena smiled but Stefan knew she wished that she hadn't been left out, even though she had spent last night getting to know him. She loved her friends that much he could tell.

A sudden sensation pulled his attention away from the three girls. Two people walked onto the school grounds, escorted by the principle. It wasn't so much that he had never seen them around Mystic Falls before, but there was something that called to him. _They're like_ _me_ he thought, the notion pulling him out of his seat and towards them. He didn't pay attention to Elena calling him from somewhere behind him, he could be saving her in the long run. He maintained his distance from the strangers but kept close enough so that he could hear every word.

* * *

><p>"What do you think that was about?" Bonnie asked, as she watched Stefan run off after the two people being lead into the main building by their principle. Caroline watched as he left and Elena's face was scrunched up as she watched too, he wouldn't have done that without reason.<p>

"I don't know, maybe he knows them from somewhere?" she offered distractedly as she piled her things back into her bag and stood up to leave, "Let's grab something to eat later at the Grille you guys, sound good?"

"Yeah sure, my dad's away and Grams is probably drinking already" Bonnie said, with mild displeasure colouring her tone. Caroline rubbed her shoulder sympathetically.

"Sounds good to me, but I'll probably be a few minutes late after school, we're trying to nail down the social calendar for this year." Caroline added, ignoring the groans that her two friends emitted in the knowledge that they would no doubt be helping with all these future events.

"Goody" Bonnie teased as they stood up and made their way to class.

* * *

><p>"Prospective students are always welcome to peruse the campus here at Robert E. Lee" the man droned as they stood in the administrative office, "I could show you around myself for the first few minutes then you could attend a class or two to get a feel for the syllabus."<p>

"That sounds wonderful Mr Webster," Alice said smiling despite her irritation, she had to find the girl, this was the only school in this town and after two weeks of searching she hoped that she would find the girl here, "could we pop into a class or two first? I'd love to dive right in"

"Sure, follow me…"

* * *

><p>As they piled in they were greeted by the near pre-historic history teacher, Mr Figgins. He waited for them to sit before he allowed his voice to boom over their new-year excitement. This was the second week of school, time to reign them all in.<p>

"Good morning everyone! Now before you get too comfortable there will be an essay due at the end of the week… I know, I'm terrible, get over it I –" just then the two people walked in and Stefan immediately tensed as recognition took over. The three girls also noticed, and the curiosity was palpable. They were both dressed in blacks and greys, the boy towering over the girl, blocking her face from view. "Can I help you?" just then the principle, Mr Webster hobbled in from behind and cleared his throat.

"They're thinking of attending here so I thought what better way to give them a taste of the syllabus than to sit in on one of our classes?"

"Sure, why you'd put them in a history class first thing…but, if they don't mind standing near the back until they've had enough then that is quite alright by me."

"Thank you sir" the girl said and the voice prickled at Bonnie's ears. Where had she heard it before? The pair turned to face the class and that's when Bonnie and Alice locked eyes. Edward was staring at Bonnie as well but he pulled at Alice's arm and they made their way to the back of the classroom. The principle nodded his head and left and Mr Figgins fell right into the day's lesson. Bonnie snuck a look behind over her shoulder at them and her heart leapt when she realised they were still looking at her. She locked eyes with the girl again and the resemblance between her and the girl in her recurring dreams was unnerving. It was _her_. She looked at the boy with her and his eyes were the same, his skin was the same and there was something about the both of them that dared her to get to the bottom of it all.

When the bell rang Bonnie stayed in her seat despite her two best friend's questions. She mumbled something about a question regarding the essay for the end of the week with a hollow smile. They left soon after and Stefan held her eyes for a few moments and said he'd be right outside waiting because he had something to ask her. Nodding she rose from her seat and turned around to face them. She didn't believe in coincidence before and she wasn't about to start now.

"I recognise you" she decided to start the conversation, noting how confusion riddled the boys features, "you I mean." She said, looking directly at Alice. Alice shrugged, unsurprised.

"I've been looking everywhere for you," Alice said stepping forward, "I'm Alice."

"Bonnie" the other girl replied. She looked over at the boy, raising her eyebrows ever so slightly.

"Edward" he said succinctly, but the mellifluous tone of his voice still rang in her ears. In fact, everything about the two of them was melodious, hypnotic and …tempting. _Tempting?_

"Could you three relocate yourselves please? I have a day to survive" Mr Figgins barked from his desk, startling Bonnie.

"Is there somewhere we can talk?" Alice asked, as they followed Bonnie out.

"Sure… How set are you on staying here and attending more classes?" the green-eyed girl queried as they stepped outside of the classroom.

"The purpose for our visit has been achieved" Edward stated ominously, his eyes catching Stefan's as he finished his sentence.

"Bonnie, could I talk to you for a second?" Stefan asked having overheard; he was taking cautious steps toward them. He didn't like the idea of her leaving with two complete strangers, vampires no less. She looked at Alice and then Edward and then Stefan, before nodding. He pulled her aside and loomed over her. "Do you know them?"

"Not in the traditional sense, no" she replied honestly, looking back at the two of them as they stood patiently. A tick began working in Stefan's jaw as he mulled over the possibilities.

"I'm coming with you" he said, nodding to himself. Bonnie's eyebrows shot up.

"That's _sweet_ but, I can take care of myself Stefan. I just need to talk to them, if anything happens and I need your help, you'll be the first to know." She promised and stepped away from him before he could argue. She didn't know why but she knew could trust them, well, Alice at the very least. Besides, she had to know why she had been dreaming of the girl for so long, it was fate – surely?

_**The Grille **_

They followed her blue Prius through town in a silver Volvo, Bonnie making sure to drive so that they wouldn't lose her.

"I have never driven so slow in my _life_" Edward groaned as his hands wound around his steering wheel tightly.

"This place is beautiful" Alice commented, ignoring Edward even though she herself would much rather be racing through the town on her own two feet.

"Just be glad it is so overcast today" Edward muttered, his mouth in a tight line. When she pulled in to park Edward exhaled in relief and parked with sharp precision next to her. They both stepped out of the car and followed her inside. Bonnie led them to a booth and slid in, gesturing for them to do the same.

"Would you guys like anything to eat?" she asked after the waiter dropped off their menus, "they make the best milkshakes here."

"No thank you" Edward declined almost immediately, but Alice rolled her eyes.

"I'll try a milkshake, whichever you recommend. Edward is quite fussy when it comes to these things."

"That's okay, but I'll have you know that pretty much everything in this town is harmless." Bonnie said with a timid smile, "Alice?" she asked, testing out how her name sounded in her voice. Even that felt familiar, how odd.

"Yes, Bonnie?"

"May I ask why you've been looking for me?"

"May I ask how you know the other boy who spoke with you in the hallway before we left your school?" Edward interrupted. Bonnie frowned, caught off-guard.

"He, uh, he dates my best friend, sort of." she said, and then ordered two milkshakes when the waiter came by.

"I see." Edward said, and led his gaze wander over the establishment. This place was like Forks in so many ways…

"Bonnie, I know this might sound strange, but, I've been having…visions…of you." Alice said, talking as slow as she could manage and watching the girl's face for her reaction. Bonnie's eyes bulged a little but then they narrowed as her face twisted in thought. She pursed her lips and then let out a sudden gush of air before looking Alice in the eye.

"I've also been having visions of you."

"Interesting…"Edward murmured as his gaze still roamed over The Grille. His eyes flashed to Bonnie's and he heard her heart stutter.

"Are you two related?" Bonnie asked, fiddling with the straw of her drink. She saw the smallest smile pull at the edge of Edward's mouth. Before they could answer her phone buzzed.

_**Bonnie, Stefan said you ditched school with the two strangers? What gives?**_

**Elena, I'm fine, I'll explain later. I love you**

_**Okay…I love you too Bon**_

"Concerned friend?" Edward asked in his unusually soft voice. Bonnie nodded as she locked her keypad and dropped her phone back into her messenger bag.

"It's not every day I ditch class to talk to two complete strangers."

"To answer your question, Edward is my brother. We're from Forks, Washington." Alice said, her eyes lighting up as she sipped on her milkshake, "this is delicious!"

"I'm glad you like it… What visions were they? I mean, what happens in them?" Bonnie asked as she took a few short sips of her drink. She had to keep her eyes on Alice; her brother was drilling holes into the surface of her skin. Where Alice's face was oval and dainty his face was angular and demanding. His mouth was a blushed pink, forming full smooth lines that barely curved upward. His amber eyes, like hers, were more probing and inquisitive, where Alice's were warm and friendly. His hair swept upward into tufts of golden browns that looked perfectly coiffed but had a natural disarray to them, where Alice's hair was swift and polished.

"I see a few things. But I know you're in danger Bonnie, that much is clear. I've been having visions for a reason, I was sent to protect you." Alice said, Bonnie risked a glance in Edward's direction and his mouth was drawn in a thin line. Whatever it was, he knew too.

"Could you tell me something a little more specific?" she asked.

"That boy you spoke to earlier, does he have a brother?" Alice asked, moving her still full glass to the centre of the table.

"Not that I know of …no." Bonnie frowned as she responded, did Stefan have a brother?

"His brother is a problem. He will be the death of you – _literally_. Also, that boy has not been honest with you. I'm not sure your best friend knows…but you obviously do not…" Edward interjected, shocking Bonnie. Partially because his voice was so enthralling, but also because of what he was saying.

"I don't understand…" Bonnie said, lifting her hand to her forehead as she tried to process it all. She barely knew Stefan, hell Elena barely knew him. After Stefan strolled through the hallways on his first day he hadn't taken his eyes off of her best friend. And after Elena and Matt calling it quits, she couldn't blame the girl for moving forward. But what did Stefan have to do with Alice and Edward, or more specifically his _brother_?

"Bonnie, your grandmother…what is she like?" Alice asked suddenly. Bonnie's eyes threatened to spill out of their sockets but she managed to recover swiftly. Perhaps Alice _was_ a psychic? "Grams, right?" Bonnie's mouth plopped open before she could stop herself.

"Uh. My, uh, my Grams is a bit of a character" Bonnie admitted, honestly.

"Has she told you about witchcraft?" Alice asked, leaning forward and lowering her voice.

"Yes?" Bonnie asked, still in shock.

"Do you believe her?" Alice asked, her eyes still kind but her voice held something else. Hope?

"It's a little hard to believe someone who drinks as much as she does…" Bonnie said, her voice trailing off. Maybe Grams was onto something, if not witchcraft then psychics at least.

"Alice, what are you?" Bonnie asked, dread spreading through her stomach.

"That I cannot tell you, not until I am sure where your loyalty lies. I'm sorry, I just cannot risk it."

"What am I?" Bonnie asked, this time, her voice thin and panicking. Edward leaned forward then and tilted his head as she looked at him.

"Bonnie, you're a witch."

_**Robert E Lee High School**_

"Did you see how hot that guy was?" Caroline gushed as her and Elena stepped out of their last class for the day. Elena rolled her eyes good-naturedly and smiled.

"Yes Care, he was a looker."

"Who was?" Stefan asked, appearing out of thin air.

"The guy who Bonnie ditched school for" Caroline clarified. Stefan kept his face blank as they made their way out into the parking lot.

"Do you think she'll still meet us at The Grille?" Elena asked, stopping to look at her blonde friend.

"Hopefully, call her. I'll see you in like half an hour!" she threw the last bit over her shoulder as she hurried off to her meetings.

"Call Bonnie" Stefan said, his forehead lined with worry. Elena nodded and pulled out her cell phone.

"Bon, hey" Elena said, glad her friend was answering her phone, "where are you right now? Are we still meeting up at The Grille?" Stefan listened as the girl explained she had gone to visit her grandmother but that she would make her way to the restaurant in the next fifteen minutes or so. "That's fine with me; I'll see you in a bit." Elena ended the call and smiled up at Stefan. "She's fine, she was with her Grams."

"Good, I'm glad she's safe" Stefan said, smiling before he could cause Elena anymore worry, "Shall I drive you to The Grille?" She smiled brightly at him and nodded, hanging onto the crook of his elbow as they walked to his car.

_**Tituba Bennett's Home**_

Bonnie was pacing on the porch of her grandmother's house while Edward and Alice watched on in silence. Thoughts were running through her head a mile a minute. Reality, or what she thought it to be, was slipping away with each second that passed and something much stranger was falling together in its place. A witch? How in the hell was she a _witch_? What exactly was a witch? She steadied herself against the wooden railing that framed the porch and took deep purposeful breaths to calm herself. A soft groan escaped as she considered it all to be the truth, what if she _was_ a witch, what if Stefan's mysterious brother _was_ going to kill her? The thick grey clouds that had coated the sky since the morning grew dark and something crackled in the atmosphere.

"Bonnie?" Alice called to her softly, her voice coloured with worry. Bonnie sucked in a breath then looked at the girl.

"So I'm a witch?" she asked, jarred as the word left her lips.

"…Yes"

"Why?" she asked, her voice only slightly steadier.

"Your lineage, just like your Grams said, it isn't a reaction to anything, it's in your blood – always has been."

"Why have you been having visions of me? Why have I been having visions of you? Are you a witch too?"

"I'm not a witch, I'm psychic" Alice clarified, "Like I said earlier, I was sent to protect you. Once your powers begin to develop this town will suck you dry," she ignored the look Edward gave her, "I've also seen how there are alternative means to solve the problems you would originally have had to face alone."

"Alice you're not making any sense" Bonnie said, her voice wobbly as the tears threatened to spill over, what little she could grasp from her words were causing her some distress.

"Death, Bonnie, _death_," Alice said as she took a few steps towards the other girl, "it's coming and you will get pulled down with it, you don't stand a chance if you do it all alone."

"And you say that Stefan's brother has something to do with all of it?" Bonnie asked, trying to find one aspect to focus on. Alice nodded and Edward's brows furrowed as if something just occurred to him.

"Don't even think about it, Bonnie" he said softly but with enough finality in his voice to shock her.

"Think about what?" she asked, even though she was already mapping out the way to the Salvatore Boarding House.

"Finding him." Edward said with a quiet sternness. Bonnie doubted that she would ever get used to that.

"I need to talk to Stefan at least" she countered, "All I need to do is ask him if he has a brother, and if he does, then I believe you"

"And if he lies?" Alice asked, crossing her arms.

"The truth always comes to light" Bonnie answered, with a resolute nod of her head.

_**The Grille**_

After Alice and Edward had left to the guesthouse they were staying in Bonnie had driven to The Grille like a bat out of hell. Once she was parked she ambled out of her car and into the restaurant all but falling over herself to get to her friends. She needed normal, she needed to be able to breathe before she had some sort of panic attack, she needed Caroline's inane banter to distract her.

"Bonnie!" Elena called, swinging an arm to get her attention; she made her way over and collapsed into the booth.

"Sorry I ditched school today" Bonnie said, stealing a sip of the girl's soda. Elena shrugged but eyed her out.

"So why did you anyway?"

"Remember the dreams I kept telling you and Caroline about?" Bonnie asked, continuing when Elena nodded, "well let's just say that maybe there's a reason Grams drinks so much. I feel like having a drink myself after today." Elena snorted but her worry remained prevalent on her features.

"That girl in your dream, was it the girl you saw today?" Elena asked softly, the pieces slowly falling together.

"…Yeah. I feel like I'm going crazy" Bonnie admitted, the slick, uneasy feeling boiling in her stomach again.

"Well you can't be that crazy if she _actually_ exists now can you?" Elena said smiling, "I saw her with my own eyes Bon, maybe there's a reason behind it all?"

"Yeah, it's just a pity I don't believe in any of it, it makes no sense to. Me? Psychic? _Really_?"

"Well if you are then tell me," the brunette leaned forward with a playful glint in her brown eyes, "Are Stefan and I going to live happily ever after?" Bonnie raised an eyebrow, "Wait don't psychic's need a crystal ball or something? Here, use my glass." Rolling her eyes Bonnie decided to humour her and reached out for the glass. The minute she touched it while Elena's hand was still holding it a sharp image flew straight into her mind's eye. The blue-black wings of a crow fluttering around her Stefan's shoulders while a heart was in his hands, he knelt down as the heart fell out of his grip and rolled in front of the body of her best friend, crumpled and lifeless….

"No!" Bonnie yelled before she could stop herself, startling Elena. What little soda was left toppled over onto the wooden surface of the table and pulled Bonnie back into herself.

"Bonnie? What is it? Are you okay?" Elena's eyes scoured her best friend's face; she got up to sit down next to her. Bonnie allowed the ripples of fear to run through her, wave after wave until they relented and she felt like she could breathe again.

"Nothing…it's nothing," she said exhaling; she needed to call Alice, "let's just forget about the whole psychic thing okay?"

"Sure…of course" Elena allowed, returning to her side of the booth as Caroline fluttered in through the door.

"Ladies! Get excited, we're having a party in the woods this Friday and you are _both_ going!"

_**Bennett Residence**_

Bonnie paced around in her living room. She had a lot to think about. She was a supposed psychic and witch, and if that were true then she had to consider Alice's warning. She would die because of it, but she couldn't shake the vision, or whatever it was that assaulted her at The Grille. Seeing Elena like that … she couldn't just let it go. She had to do something to make sure it never happened and that Stefan wouldn't get away with it. Above everything else a feeling of assurance with Alice remained, it was a bone-deep sense of trust that she felt whenever the girl's name popped into her head and Bonnie went with that. As she pulled out her cell phone to call Alice it rang.

"Bonnie are you okay?" Alice asked before the girl could utter a greeting.

"Not really, no. I was wondering if we could talk in person, I could come to the guesthouse or you could come here… if that's okay?"

"Of course, which would you prefer?" Bonnie honestly didn't know if she had the strength to drive in a straight line at present, "text me the address. We'll be there as soon as possible."

_**Guest House **_

"We found her Carlisle" Alice all but sang into the cell phone.

"That's wonderful, will she be returning with you and Edward?"

"Yes, I'm sure of it. It's only a matter of time"

"In the meantime, make sure you both look after yourselves," her father added unnecessarily, "I mean it Alice, and we don't know much of the species that reside there." Alice rolled her eyes; leave it to Carlisle to be so clinical about everything. She assured him that she would do her best to stay within the confines of the law at the very least and to keep him updated.

"I love you Carlisle"

"I love you too, dear. _Behave_." She cackled lightly at his parting words and hung up.

_**Bennett Residence**_

Lights swung over her windows into the living room as a car parked. Two doors slammed and Bonnie already had the door open before they had reached the porch.

"Come in," she said stepping aside so that they could do so, "thank you for coming over so late."

"We had to make sure you were okay… where is your father?" Alice said as she stepped further into the living room and looked around.

"He's away on business" Bonnie answered ignoring how Alice had only asked about her father. Sure, her mother ditched when she was still crawling, but _still_, "would you like anything to drink?" she offered. Both shook their heads in a 'no'. Wringing her hands she took a deep breath and decided to cut straight to it, "I had a vision earlier, about my friend Elena, her boyfriend had what I assume to be her heart in his hands as she was lying on the floor looking pretty dead and there were…there were crows wings flapping behind him."

"Crows wings?" Alice echoed. Bonnie nodded. "Bonnie do you know where this boy lives?"

"The Salvatore Boarding House, why?"

"We need to go there, immediately."


	2. Chapter 2

**This one dedicated to 'babyfacedswurve', haha, right now you're the only one supporting this it seems. But that's okay, my love for this story knows no bounds.**

**My aim here is to be more realistic about magic and witches and all that and actually have Bonnie come into her own regarding herself and her powers. **

* * *

><p><em><strong>The Salvatore Boarding House<strong>_

Stefan snarled and launched himself at Damon who cackled happily as they flew through one of the second floor's windows out onto the gravel below. A silver Volvo swerved out of the way as they landed, narrowly missing the bonnet on their impact. Stefan groaned as he rolled over and shielded his eyes from the headlights. He could hear a heartbeat thrumming somewhere in the car and a girl's voice gasping. His senses rolled back into place as he stood up and shook off the fall. Damon began to slow clap as he stepped off from the low stone wall a few feet from Stefan.

"Congratulations brother, there are humans in that car…how will you explain all of this to them?" the dark haired vampire sneered at his younger brother. Before either of them could speak again a teenage boy and girl stepped out of the car and regarded them with disdain. Another person stepped out of the car and immediately drew Damon's attention. Her fumbling heart was distracting, sure, but the blood that it piped through her petite little frame was what hooked him. It distracted him so wholly that he didn't note the absence of the other's heartbeats. Whatever it was called to him, it burned the insides of his nostrils the longer he resisted. He took an unconscious step in her direction and that's when all hell broke loose. Edward had him by the throat in a flash, squeezing until a ghastly wheeze bubbled through Damon's throat as he winced in pain. Stefan, despite their previous argument tried to intervene only to be throttled in a similar fashion by the small girl. Bonnie, having seen this all happen faster than she could snap her fingers stumbled backwards in shock, her hand covering her mouth.

"Wha-what is happening?" she managed to get out. There was nothing that could explain what she had just seen. The lightning fast reactions of Edward and Alice and the …for lack of better term, feral look on the dark haired man's face. Her gaze lingered on him, the jet black hair that swept this way and that and those impossibly blue eyes…

"Bon-nie" Stefan gurgled against Alice's hold, his hands clawing at her wrist as she raised him off of the ground. Bonnie's eyes bulged for the umpteenth time that day. Damon would have found Stefan's situation infinitely entertaining if he wasn't currently being man-handled by a twelve year old.

"Alice, that's Stefan, I mean, that's my best friend's boyfriend" Bonnie explained as she inched forward.

"_Ask_ him!" Alice snapped her voice cold. Bonnie's heart lurched, she couldn't argue with that tone.

"Stefan, do you have a brother?" Bonnie asked, trying to ignore the current situation she was seeing unfold. The question now seemed much less important given the happenings of the last, hell, _minute_?

"That, would be… _me_" the dark haired man spluttered as Edward's hold tightened around his neck. Bonnie's eyes shot back to his face and her mouth fell open. _Him_. It would be him…

"You." She breathed and began to back away. He managed a sliver of a smirk under Edward's grip and yelped as Edward threw him aside like a rag doll and appeared in front of Bonnie in the same instant.

"Bonnie, breathe, you'll be safe" he said, his breath rushing over her forehead and nose as he spoke, lulling her somewhat. She clutched her chest and focused on her breathing as he spun around to see Alice drop Stefan unceremoniously to the floor and flit to where they stood.

"Stefan is it?" Edward called to the boy currently dangling between his own shrubberies, "I'll say this once. Keep your brother in line or keeping your true identity a secret will be the least of your worries."

"And if he can't?" Damon called as he stood to his feet a few feet away.

"Then I suppose you'll never see _these_ again" Alice hissed raising her index finger that had two rings hanging on it. Damon snarled and launched himself at her but mid-air he was punched and propelled backwards by Edward's right fist, landing against the wall with a sickening crack.

"I hope that clears up any residual confusion" Edward sneered at Stefan as he stood, his tone somehow still managing to be subdued even though his hatred was as clear as day. Bonnie was in the back seat of Edward's Volvo before she could blink and they sped off into the night.

_**Bennett Residence**_

Bonnie was staring at Alice. Full-on, shameless, mouth hanging open in an effort to catch flies staring. _Vampire_? What the hell next? Sookie Stackhouse showering her with fairy dust? Her tongue clicked softly as she tried to swallow, a frown etching across her clear caramel skin.

"This is a lot" she muttered from where she sat on her couch. Edward was standing near a window, looking out into the quiet night while Alice sat on the coffee table in front of her. She knew that she should be afraid, screaming or something, fashioning a cross out of anything she could find. But looking into Alice's eyes, remembering her vision, remembering Alice's words about protecting her and seeing Alice dangle Stefan around outside like a pretty wind-chime was…

"Bonnie, I know it's a lot to process" Alice said her voice light but reserved, "but I need to know that I can trust you with this. With our secret. I'm not telling you this to gain your trust; I'm telling you this so that you can gain _mine_. My visions of you are clear and all but the future is never set. I need to know that we're on the same team."

"What team is that?" Bonnie asked, still not sure what it all meant.

"Keeping you alive, being friends, I hope. Getting you out of this town if need be. Our lives are intertwined; there is no doubt about that." Bonnie nodded.

"Would it be alright if I spoke to my Grams about this, maybe not about you but about me? What this all means for me? I need her advice on this, especially since she's been sprouting things like this since I can remember."

"Of course, in the meantime, we're going to stick around until a plan becomes evident." Alice said, turning to look at Edward. He'd been quiet since their drive back to Bonnie's house and it didn't seem that that would let up anytime soon. "Should we enrol at the high school?" he shrugged in response.

"It would make sense for us to do so, how else are we going to keep the Salvatore brothers away from her?" he said, finally moving from where he stood, "Bonnie, how long is your father usually away for?"

"Weeks, sometimes months" the girl admitted, lowering her green eyes to her hands that were clasped in her lap, "it's not his fault though. Work has him at every end corner of the globe." Alice and Edward shared a look but didn't comment on her father's absence.

"How many bedrooms does this house have?" Alice asked, getting up and extending her hand to Bonnie. The green eyed girl braced herself for the temperature of her skin, much like she had to earlier when Alice first began explaining what she was. What Edward was. What Stefan and Damon also were. Bonnie took Alice's hand and smiled.

"There are four bedrooms. All upstairs" she said, lifting her free hand to gesture in their direction.

"We'll be staying here then" Edward said, and promptly vanished. Bonnie's front door was slightly ajar and swayed to and fro twice before it was clicked shut and Edward was in front of it with two duffel bags.

"Is there, uh, is there anything you'll need, you know…" Bonnie allowed her voice to trail off. She knew that Alice and Edward fed on animals but she didn't exactly have something like that lying around. Nesquik? Sure. Bunny Blood. Er, nope.

"Could you ask your Grams what these are exactly and how they work?" Alice asked, handing her one of the rings she had gotten off of the brothers. Bonnie felt the weight of it in the palm of her hand as she studied it. A slight tingle ran through to her fingertips as she held it.

"Of course" Bonnie said, closing her hand around the ring. She looked between the Cullen siblings and something settled in her chest. No matter how ridiculous of a day she had just had, she knew that she had just made two new friends. After showing them to their rooms she retired to her own, showering and yanking on her onesie before texting Elena about her day and any homework they may have been assigned. Two hours later with her homework done and dusted she drifted off to sleep as fatigue pulled her in.

_**Robert E Lee High School**_

The sky was being pelted down with unseasonable rain. The clouds were a similar grey to yesterdays and the Cullen's could shrug it off as much as they'd like but they were sure Tituba had something to do with it. She hadn't ever said anything about what they were but she was a wise woman, it was a shame what this town turned her into.

When Edward's silver Volvo pulled into the parking lot a few students stopped to look. As he, Alice and Bonnie stepped out of the car even more head's turned. The influx of all of their thoughts poured into Edwards' mind, bombarding him.

_Who are they?_

_Who is _he_?_

_Why are they with Bonnie Bennett?_

_Isn't that the girl who's Grandmother thinks she's a witch?_

_Whoa, look at their eyes. Huh, never noticed how green that Bennett girl's eyes were either._

Bonnie chewed on her bottom lip as she showed them to their lockers. Alice's was somehow magically next to hers but Bonnie decided not to dwell on it. Edward also couldn't be less interested in where his locker was. He had a notebook and a pen that was it. He was leaning against the lockers, half-listening as Alice rattled off their schedule when two girls caught his attention.

"Bonnie, are they friends of yours?" he asked suddenly, cutting Alice off. She turned and looked at Caroline and Elena as they tentatively made their way to them. Nodding, Bonnie turned her body fully in their direction and waved them over. She figured everyone being on a first name basis would make her life easier.

"Caroline, Elena. This is Alice and Edward" she said, smiling as she waved in the direction of the Cullen's. Edward ignored the thoughts of the blonde girl completely and instead focused on the brunette girl that he'd just been introduced to. As he suspected, she was wondering where that Stefan was… a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he looked down at Bonnie before he cleared his throat.

"It's nice to meet the two of you" he said, smiling politely. Alice followed suit and the two girls echoed the sentiment.

"Where are you guys from?" Elena asked, clutching her notebook to her chest.

"Washington" Alice answered, "but we figured a change of scenery was in order."

"That's cool. Which classes do you have?" Caroline asked, trying to weasel herself into the conversation, and into Edward's line of vision.

"The same as Bonnie's" Edward answered, scratching the back of his neck, "speaking of which, we should probably make our way over there." He looked at Bonnie as he said this and jerked his head slightly in the opposite direction. Alice rolled her eyes and hooked her arm in Bonnie's dragging her down the hallway.

"See you guys in history!" Bonnie called as she was ushered away.

"I don't like her" Elena mumbled as she watched her best friend hauled away by a new face.

"I like him" Caroline countered with a thoughtful look on her face. "Hey, where's Stefan?"

"Excellent question." The brunette murmured as she pulled the blonde to their first class.

_**The Salvatore Boarding House**_

Glass shattered against the walls of the living room as Damon ransacked it in his latest bout of anger.

"Just who the _fuck_ do they think they are?!" he roared as he tossed another decanter against the wall. Stefan stood aside with his arms crossed, waiting for his brother to stop breaking things. He figured that he'd run out of glass objects eventually.

"Could you stop smashing everything?" Stefan sighed, stepping away from the threshold and into the room. "We need to figure out a plan or something. Or at least who they are."

"I'm pretty sure this is all your fault," Damon heaved as he ran his hands through his hair, "you and that forehead of yours has gotten us knee deep in supernatural trouble again."

"Enough with the forehead jabs" Stefan snapped, "do you honestly think I enjoy being tossed around by a _gnome_?"

"She was quite short wasn't she?" Damon mused, "but the question remains _brother_, why did that darling firecracker want to know if you had a brother or not. Whether you lied to her about me or not aside, why me? What is she anyway? Her scent is like –" Stefan cut him off with a stern look, "touchy touchy. I told you to stop slurping on woodland creatures, perhaps then you would have been more useful last night."

"Right because you feeding on humans helped you out _so_ much against him?" Stefan countered, secretly enjoying that his brother got his ass handed to him by someone who looked around his age. But he also knew that due to their kind, looks were always deceiving, that boy could have been thousands of years old. The two of them sure grappled like they were.

"Well at least I didn't get a mouthful of Zach's gardenias," Damon snorted, his eyes dancing, "didn't you say that that girl was Elena's friend? What is her name again?"

"Bonnie Bennett" Stefan replied distractedly, surveying the damage his brother had inflicted on the room.

"Bennett? She's a _Bennett_?" Damon hissed as he slammed Stefan into the wall, clutching his throat, "why didn't you tell me she was a Bennett?"

"Why does it matter Damon? Could you let me go please, I'm not in the mood for this" Stefan snapped prying Damon's fingers away from his throat and turning to leave the room. Damon let him, he had some thinking to do and apparently plenty of time to do it in.

"Bonnie Bennett" he mused, tapping his fingers on his chin, "how unfortunate for her."

_**Tituba Bennett's House**_

"Alice and I will wait for you at your house" Edward said, smiling softly.

"Thank you for dropping me off, so I'll uh, call you when I'm done?" she hated it sounding like he was her body guard or something. His smile deepened ever so slightly.

"Yes, and I'll be right over. Until then Miss Bennett…" he reappeared at the door of his Volvo and nodded to her before getting in and driving off with his sister. Bonnie stood outside for a few moments before she turned to her Grams' door. Surprisingly it was already open with the woman eyeing her as she peeked out from inside the house. She opened the door a little wider and stood with her hand on her hip.

"So I guess now you believe me?" Tituba huffed, her eyes wrinkling from the bright outdoors, as overcast as it was…damn hangover. Bonnie shrugged an inched forward.

"I have a few questions" the girl said and stepped inside the house after hugging her grandmother.

"So what Alice is saying is … is all true?" Bonnie muttered as she looked down into her tea cup. Tituba sighed and stood up from her wooden chair. Hobbling off into her living room she returned with a worn in book. The pages were as weathered as her skin and were filled with as much supernatural babble as the woman herself. Bonnie shut the book after skimming through it and looked over at her grandmother. "What do I do?"

"You do what feels right baby" Tituba answered, rubbing Bonnie's shoulder, "yes you are a witch, yes you see the future, yes these people are all vampires and for once, no, I'm not crazy. But it's up to you to decide what you do with all of this information. I can't force anything on you."

"But nothing will take my powers away?"

"That's just the thing…something might. Is that what you want?"

"I don't want to die because of them?"

"Bonnie, not to be morbid, but we all die someday. With or without your powers, one day, you will pass on. It's the balance of nature."

"Grams I get that, but surely natural causes are better than having my powers stripped, or depleted, or being killed by a vampire?"

"You need to be careful. Watchful, aware of everything around you. Be sure of the people you trust and hold dear and never put yourself or your magic last. Your magic is more convoluted than any personality, it demands attention, care and nurturing. It commands every ounce of your efforts, once you can harness it you will immediately feel more centred. That is a promise." Bonnie nodded.

"So I'm a witch." She said, with assertion looking into Tituba's smiling eyes.

"Indeed baby girl. In that book, a _grimoire_, is everything you'll need to know while you're starting out. I'll be right here for everything else. But for now, you need to go. When the sun goes down, who knows what crawls out of the woodworks."

"Wait, I need you to tell me what this is" Bonnie said as she pulled the lapis lazuli ring out of the back pocket of her jeans. Tituba's eyes narrowed.

"Where did you get this?" she asked, pointing at it.

"Off of one of the brothers" Bonnie said, the older woman's eyebrows shot up.

"This ring allows their kind to walk in the sun," the older witch explained, "they will burn without it."

"Edward and Alice don't have rings" Bonnie questioned.

"They are different those two," her grandmother said, her voice thoughtful, "they are not the same breed." Turning her head to the door she smiled, "Bonnie, he's outside."

"Who?"

"Who else?" the older woman countered with a warm smile. Walking to the door, Bonnie swung it open and was greeted with a slightly damp Edward Cullen. His golden eyes glowed in the backdrop of the darkening sky and his pale skin.

"I hate to interrupt but the sun is setting, and once that happens, the brother's will be able to roam Mystic Falls and I don't want them near you." He explained. Bonnie turned to her grandmother who was still smiling, "Miss Bennett" he greeted the elder. She nodded in response.

"Look after yourself as well Edward, your sister too. You're both very special, I can tell."

"Thank you for your kind words, but she is our priority." He said and looked down at the girl staring up at him in mute shock, "do you have everything you need?" he asked, and she shook her hair out, dispersing her thoughts.

"Yes, I do. Bye Grams!"

"Bye baby."

_**Edward's Car – en route to Bennett Residence**_

Bonnie held the grimoire tightly to her chest as she looked out of the window. Edward was driving suspiciously fast considering they were in a residential area but she didn't comment. She hardly felt it really.

"Is everything alright?" he asked her, breaking through the silence. She turned to him and noticed how rigid his frame was.

"Are _you_ okay?" she asked, ignoring his inquiry.

"Yes" he said through his teeth.

"You look like you're about to have a heart attack, or snap the steering wheel off. Whichever comes first."

"I'm sorry" he said, his voice barely above a whisper. He didn't appear to be breathing at all and although she knew he didn't actually need air, he looked like he was going to pass out any second.

"Edward?" he turned to look at her, while his hands still negotiated the direction of the car, "what's wrong?"

"I can't really explain it right now, I don't even want to _think_ about it right now" he said, drawing in a breath before freezing mid-way and letting out a pained groan. Her scent was setting his insides on _fire_. A strangled choke escaped him as he parked his car and stumbled out. Pulling in sharp breaths he righted himself and sped over to her.

"Sorry, I find the whole proximity thing a little, _overwhelming_ at times." He explained, running his hands through his hair. She frowned as she watched his expression but said nothing as they made their way to her front door. _Blood_, she thought, he probably needed to feed or something. As they stepped into her house she had to smile at what she saw. Alice was dancing around in her kitchen making dinner she assumed. With the _Arctic Monkeys_ blaring through the house she was clearing the counter and washing a few utensils and a frying pan. There were two tumblers of red liquid that immediately caught Edward's attention as he shut the door behind himself. There was a small bowl of salad and a platter of grilled chicken in strips. The smell was surreal.

"Alice!" Bonnie called, grinning as she skipped into the kitchen. The vampire returned her smile and caught her into a cautious hug. "It smells unreal in here, what's going on?"

"Well, supernatural matters aside we have a friendship to develop," she explained, "one thing that is clear as that you're gonna be around for a while in my life so I figure we may as well go with it."

"You're amazing" the green eyed girl said as she grinned at her amber eyed friend. It had been what, two days? Everything had changed but this was one thing she was definitely grateful for. "Thank you so much. Oh, I have a bit of a strange question," Bonnie said as she hopped up onto the counter, being sure to avoid whatever was scattered across its surface, "does sunlight affect you in any way?"

"It does, we don't burn, but we don't blend in either." Edward explained as he sipped from one of the tumblers. He sucked on his teeth before he continued, "our skin becomes, undeniably ostentatious in the sunlight. We …sparkle, I suppose?"

"I think my Grams can help you with that, maybe I could too actually," Bonnie said, speaking slowly, she didn't want to overstep any boundaries, "she gave me this book of spells, the same book that probably helped the Salvatore brother's with their day-walker rings. If the sun doesn't burn you, I can make sure it doesn't exposure you either. It's the least I can do."

"You would do that?" Alice asked, taken aback, despite what she already knew about Bonnie. It was strange to see your visions fall into place. Bonnie nodded assuredly, and hopped off of the counter to walk to Alice.

"Alice please," she said also looking over at Edward, "it's the least I can do." The siblings looked at each other and then back at the girl between them. Yes, she was definitely the one.

After dinner Bonnie sat in the middle of her living room with all the furniture moved aside so that she could work. Tituba was sitting in front of her mumbling instructions. Once everything was set, the two witches held a ring each. Bonnie held Edwards, a simple thin silver band she had found while her Grams had a more intricate ring for Alice. Tituba began to chant and soon Bonnie fell in line. The rings lifted off of their palms and a bright light swirled around each piece of jewellery. Brighter than the sun, so much so that the two vampires had to avert their eyes momentarily before the light faded and the rings settled back into the witches' palms.

"It's done" Tituba confirmed, dropping Alice's ring in her granddaughter's hand, "I'm going to do a protection spell thwarting any vampires that haven't been invited in yet and that should ease my mind a little more." Disappearing into the kitchen she left the three teenagers alone for a few moments. Bonnie dropped their rings into each of their hands, smiling timidly. Eyeing each other out, they slipped their rings on and sighed as magic hummed through their bodies. _Incredible_, they both thought. Bonnie had decided to commit completely once she had her Grams' blessing, those were few and far between and she didn't take her approval of the Cullen's lightly because of that.

"How does it feel?" she asked the vampires as her grandmother returned with a handful or bound sage and a lighter and a weathered page she was reading from as she walked around the house.

"Different" Edward replied and received a jab in his ribcage from his sister.

"Amazing" his sister squealed as she pulled Bonnie in for another hug, "no more waiting until its overcast or twilight until we can leave the house! Thank you so much Bonnie!"

"Yes, Bonnie, thank you" Edward added, an actual smile on his face.

"Alright children, that's me done. I'll better be off then."

"I'll drive you" Alice said, no question in her voice, "I won't risk letting you go home alone. See you two in a few." With that she hovered around Bonnie's grandmother until she had packed all of her things and they left the house chatting idly about the spell she had just cast over the house. Bonnie turned to Edward to see he was already staring at her.

"You do that a lot" she commented as she made her way to the kitchen for a glass of water. He followed her quietly and shrugged when she gave him a pointed look.

"I can't help it" he said, his voice low.

"What happened in the car earlier?"

"Bloodlust" he replied succinctly, not wanting to lie to her. She looked at him intently and he opened up the flood gates to allow her thoughts to filter in but found – nothing. His eyebrow quirked before he could help himself. And then it came, soft murmurs, but like he was listening through water, he knew it was her voice but something was shrouding it now. Nothing clear could be heard. "I can't hear you anymore" he blurted.

"_Hear_ me?"

"I can read minds," he said, waving off the notion as if it were unimportant, "but now I can barely make anything out."

"What happened? Do you think something's going wrong with me?" she asked, genuine fear slipping through. Edward couldn't help the soft breath of a laugh that whispered past his lips.

"I tell you I can read minds, and that now I can't read yours, you think that something is wrong with you? It's probably your magic. The more you practice and use, the more powerful you become. And, the more protected apparently. It's impressive."

"Huh…" she huffed, crossing her arms. "So you can't hear anything?"

"It's getting more incomprehensible as we speak, it's a pity really. I quite enjoy your outlook on everything." Before she could comment her cell phone rang.

"Elena, hey" she said, looking up at Edward. A look passed over his features so quickly she was sure she'd imagined it and he turned and walked away from her. She listened as her best friend relayed her day, Stefan skipping school a focal point of her talking. Apparently his brother was back in town and was kicking up some family drama and that's why he hadn't gone in. Bonnie rolled her eyes but empathised. Once she hung up she made her way to the living room, putting this and that back in its place while she continued to process all of her thoughts.

"_Bonnie_…" a deep, sing song voice called to her from the other side of her front door. "I can hear you breathing Bonnie…" _what_? Edward appeared in front of her and held a finger to his lips. Her heart rate accelerated and a deep laugh crept in through the wood. "Listen to that _heart_." The voice cooed. Edward swung the door open and hissed in the back of his throat. "Feisty" the person retorted.

"What do _you_ want?" Edward growled. Bonnie edged forward until she could see him, his black hair blending in with the darkened sky. His smirk lolled around before his eyes zeroed in on her. So _cold_.

"Her," he breathed, tilting his head and pulling in a deep breath, "well that's not entirely true. I want my ring too."

"Do you have a name?" Edward spat. Bonnie watched as she clung onto her necklace a few feet behind Edward, even from here she could feel his menacing glare on their visitor.

"Damon Salvatore" he practically purred in response, "and I need my ring back or I'm going to get _very_ angry _very_ quickly."

"That's adorable _Salvatore_" Edward seethed shoving his chest, Bonnie inched forward as she saw Damon fly into her front yard. "Threatening Bonnie however, was the wrong way to go about it." Alice appeared out of thin air and pulled Damon up by his hair, lifting him and then forcing him down onto his knees. Edward cut a sharp slap across his face, "that was for trying to feed on her last night," he slapped him again, "that was for taunting her," he gripped the fabric of his shirt and pulled him upwards until they saw eye to eye, "and this, is for what you almost got away with." He threw the Salvatore brother into the middle of the street and dusted off his hands. The crack of Damon's bones as he landed caused Bonnie to flinch and stand on her toes to see if he was actually still in one piece. Edward and Alice flashed to the front porch and looked over their shoulders before stepping inside and clicking the door shut.

* * *

><p>"This is incredible" Alice sighed as her and Edward sat on the roof of Bonnie's house. The sun was beginning to rise and the heat curled around them, heating them, kissing every reachable inch of their skin. Edward hummed softly as he closed his eyes and drank it all in, he never thought that he would ever see this day, that he would ever feel the sun so freely. Looking down at his upper arms he smiled at the dull glint of sunlight that reflected off of him, muted rays that shimmered on his pale skin. No glitter, no sparkle, just <em>heat<em>.

"I'm glad I came" he said quietly, looking down at his sister, "you were right to fight for her."

"Edward, she could change the lives of the rest of our family, she could help other vampires. She doesn't _need_ to play blood-bag and human sacrifice in this town. She's the life force of _our_ kind, and you know I don't mean her blood. She's why we're nothing like the rest of them. One in a million, it's what Emily said."

"It's a shame I never met Emily." Edward mused.

"You would have liked her. That Katherine Pierce was the death of her, much like that Elena of Bonnie will be the death of _her_. We need to destroy the doppelganger blood curse and get Bonnie out of here before it all starts to fall apart."

"Right. Blood curse."

"Yes Edward, _blood curse_. I'm here to save the witch and protect her future as well as ours."

"You make it sound so simple."

"It doesn't have to be hard."

"It might be, I doubt those brothers will be content with moonlighting it for long. I'm so glad we aren't bound by fire."

"As am I, brother, as am I."

* * *

><p>When Bonnie woke up on the Friday morning she groaned and ungracefully wiped a line of spit that had leaked out of the corner of her mouth. The last few days had been so strange, yet the two that had upset her balance were the only ones keeping her in check mentally. Alice was infectiously optimistic and Edward had this quiet regalness that had her in quiet awe and trust. She trusted them both; beyond her Grams' initial approval, which in hindsight she was sure was precarious at best, they had proved to her time and time again that they only had her best interests at heart. She knew that they were protecting her from danger, and a small morbid voice in her head was always wondering what exactly that <em>was<em>. She felt it whenever Damon was around, however brief those instances were. Edward would swat him aside like a pesky fly and sneer at him and Alice would shield Bonnie from his words. It was clear he wanted something from her, her blood or her magic, she couldn't tell. She was glad that she had two vampires on her side, which was strange considering how much their existence terrified her. Her visions were also becoming more insistent and they usually revolved around the same thing; Elena's heart dangling from Stefan's fingertips. Except last night Damon's fist was lanced through Stefan's chest and he stepped over both their bodies and grabbed another woman's hand and they sped off into darkness. Shaking off the foreboding that threatened to ruin her day before it started she hopped into the shower and thought no more of it.

"Morning Bonnie!" Alice sang as she poured a glass of red wine for herself. Bonnie had gotten used to her drinking, apparently it quelled her actual 'thirst' and she supported that wholeheartedly.

"Morning Alice" Bonnie smiled as she tugged on her cardigan and settled into a chair next to the counter. "My friend Caroline called last night to remind me about this party in the woods. She extended the invitation to you and your brother." Alice sipped demurely on her drink and pursed her lips in thought.

"I suppose it's time we gave Stefan his ring back." Edward said as he appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Alice nodded.

"So, Stefan is getting the nod of approval?" Bonnie asked, lifting an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Sure, it's not him we want to punish anyway. Besides, poor boy has missed a week of school." Alice said, giggling despite herself. "No, we need him to know that he's not really the issue, his brother is. And from what we interrupted the first night we met Damon has me thinking that he'll be sympathetic to our cause."

"I could… call him?" Bonnie offered, she remembered that he had texted about his ring a day or two ago. Alice nodded and the witch pulled out her phone.

"Bonnie?" Stefan answered, disbelief evident in his voice.

"Yeah, Stefan, it's me. Look. I can get your ring back to you." She said, getting straight to the crux of it. She heard him sigh in relief.

"Thank you…" he said after a moment and then cleared his throat, "look, I know you know what I am and I just wanted to say that I don't intend on harming Elena. Or you. I wouldn't ever hurt either of you."

"It's not you I'm worried about Stefan, but thanks, I'll see you at the party tonight?"

"I'll be there." She ended the call and turned to Alice who was having a wordless conversation with Edward, another thing Bonnie found herself getting used to. He nodded and turned to Bonnie with a knowing glint in his eye. Alice bounded over to her and held her at arm's length, looking her up and down.

"So, about this party…"

_**The Woods in Mystic Falls**_

"I gotta say Bon-Bon; I'm impressed with your outfit" Caroline half sang as she filled her solo cup. Alice giggled happily into her drink.

"Yeah, you can thank Alice for that" Bonnie confessed, tugging at the seam of Alice's fitted black jeans she was wearing which Alice had topped off with a grey shimmering oversized jumper. At the right angle you could see her skin but that was only if you got close enough.

"Well, Alice. I commend you. Her fashion sense has been dismal until tonight." Bonnie scoffed in mock hurt, smiling as Alice wound her arm around her waist.

"Why _thank you_ Caroline. I do love clothing and what else is a girl to do at a party but look her absolute best?"

"You know what Alice? I like you; I think I finally have someone who understands me." Caroline said and the two girls laughed while Bonnie and Edward smiled at each other. Elena made her way to them with Stefan in tow. He mumbled a greeting to everyone but kept his eyes on the Cullens. Edward nodded to Bonnie and she took it as her cue.

"Stefan, can I talk to you for a second?" she asked after hugging Elena.

"Sure, Bonnie." They walked a few feet away from the small crowd of her friends and she looked up at Stefan, her feelings scrunching up her face. Knowing everything she knew didn't help her nerves as she stood in front of him. She wanted to believe he wouldn't hurt her, especially now with two vampires near enough to do damage the minute the thought crossed his mind. Sighing she pulled out the two rings and slipped them on her fingers. She held her fingers up to him, making sure no one could really see their exchange.

"Which one is yours?" she asked, giving him one last test. She knew which ring belonged to either brother but she wanted to know that despite Stefan's loyalty, that he'd do the right thing. The wrong ring wouldn't work on his blood.

"The one on your thumb" he answered and she pulled it off and gave it to him, putting the other in her back pocket. "Thank you." He slid his ring on and gave it a long look before returning his gaze to her.

"Sure, no problem."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot." She said, stuffing her hands into her pockets. He cleared his throat and scratched the back of his neck.

"Why did you want to know if I had a brother?"

"Would you have lied to me if I hadn't seen him with my own eyes?" she countered, raising her eyebrows for emphasis. He pressed his lips together and she huffed.

"I didn't think it was important."

"Neither did I until a few days ago to be honest."

"That doesn't really answer my question."

"I could say the same to you."

"Bonnie, I don't like where this is headed. I don't mean you any harm; I don't mean anyone any harm. I want us to be friends."

"Keep your word about Elena's safety and we'll have no problems."

"You have my word. And for what it's worth, whatever you think Damon is capable of, you're probably right. I will do whatever it takes to make sure he doesn't hurt anyone."

"Okay. We should probably be getting back though." He nodded they walked back to the group and waved off Elena and Caroline's inquisitive glances and refilled their cups. Edward stood next to Bonnie quietly while she and Alice argued lightly over going shopping. Caroline was on board instantly.

"As long as I get to burn those peasant shirts of yours before Alice and I replace them with something from _this_ era." She teased.

"I don't know," Edward spoke up catching everyone's attention, "I kind of like the vintage look on Bonnie."

"You would say that" Alice teased and Bonnie's cheeks burned at their words. She looked up at Edward and couldn't help how overwhelmed she got when their eyes connected. As blank as his face was, it always hinted at some sort of emotion, something flitting across the surface of his perfect face. Tonight it lingered and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear to make sure she still had her motor functions in place. "Excuse me for a second," Alice said and hurried off into the trees.

"_Shit_" Edward hissed under his breath so that only Stefan could hear and followed after his sister.

* * *

><p><strong>Reviews and commentary are totally welcome. Thoughts on my take on the Cullens up against the Salvatores?<strong>

**I adore Alice and feel like her and Bon-Bon are kindred spirits.**

**Stay excellent**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"Hello?" Vicki Donovan's voice shook as she stumbled through the creeping mist. She could still feel Tyler's grabby hands around her arms and stomach and the sudden drop in temperature was not helping to calm her down. She knew she should find her way back to where everyone else was but the thought of having to see Jeremy _and_ Tyler again convinced her otherwise. "Hello?" she could have sworn she saw a silhouette just now. She didn't have time to fight off the hand that clamped around her throat and yanked her up into the trees. A shrill scream left her mouth as teeth, sharper than she could have ever imagined sunk into the crook of her neck. They were both dangling on a relatively low branch but the height, coupled with the increasing vertigo made her world tilt.

"Ugh, I hate it when there's too much alcohol in the blood, it's so…_tangy_." A voice complained and he held her at arm's length running his eyes over her face. Her vision was blurring but she could still make out his face, those eyes. "You were bitten by a vampire," he said his voice low and hypnotic, "except you can't remember what they looked like. But you are sure it was a vampire. How else would you explain this?" he ended off by biting another hole in her neck, right next to the first and pulling until he felt she would have just enough left to survive the fall. Tossing her down to the ground he heard swift feet flying over the damp earth of the forest and made his escape in the safety of the trees.

Stefan was next to them in seconds. Alice was looking away while Edward's jaw was locked tight. None of the three dared to breathe. The girl's body was crumpled on the floor but her faint heartbeat was all that reassured them.

"Take her Stefan, they know you. We'll call an ambulance." Edward managed to get out as he turned and sped through the forest to get back to Bonnie. Dialling the number he held it to his ear and explained that they had found the body of a girl in the forest and that there was a lot of blood. Stefan and Alice emerged moments later, hurrying at a human pace into the crowd. Gasps sounded throughout everyone who caught sight of the girl in Stefan's arms. Elena and her brother rushed over immediately while Bonnie's eyes flashed between the three vampires. _Damon_.

_**The Salvatore Boarding House**_

"Really, Damon?" Stefan sneered as he dropped his leather jacket onto a nearby chair. Rolling up his sleeves he walked over to his brother, clenching his fists.

"I'm bored Stefan, what did you _expect_?" the other vampire whined, "All I do is watch you mope around and drink myself into an oblivion. This was not the plan when I came back here."

"And what exactly _is_ your plan Damon? Besides ruin my life like you been doing since day one?"

"Don't be so dramatic, you're the one rehashing the past."

"She is _nothing_ like Katherine." The younger vampire emphasised.

"And you would know all about who Katherine is wouldn't you?"

"Answer the question Damon."

"The comet is coming soon, after that; I will leave and never return. You have my word on that."

"And yet somehow I'm not comforted by the thought."

"I don't care about your _comfort_ Stefan, if I were you I'd be more focused one keeping an eye on the fair Elena."

"Go near her and I will kill you myself."

"You say that like I _care_!" Damon spat, flailing his arms dramatically for emphasis.

"Well, you should about this. It's one thing to piss me off, but another matter entirely when you start fights with other vampires and attack girls in the woods. You did a half-assed job about compelling her you know…" he remembered how she had mumbled the word vampire over and over until she had fallen unconscious.

"I never do _anything_ half-assed. She remembers because I _let her_. I could have killed her, but it's so much more fun screwing with this quaint little fairy tale you've painted for yourself."

"Why are you doing this?"

"There is method to my madness brother, trust me."

"I don't think I ever could."

_**Mystic Falls General Hospital**_

The beep of the heart monitor was all Matthew Donovan heard as he rested his forehead on his sister's arm. She was breathing slowly and softly, occasionally murmuring in her sleep. Elena, Caroline and Bonnie had come and gone, making him promise to keep them informed. Before he saw Stefan carrying his sister into the clearing a few things flashed into his mind all at once. Why were Jeremy and Tyler glaring at each other from opposite ends of the party? Who were those two new kids that seemed to follow Bonnie around like shadows? Why had Elena moved on so easily? Why did his mother have to leave him and sister to fend for themselves? And why, dear lord _why_, was his sister getting involved with drug addicts and losers to pass the time instead of at least trying to keep it together like he did? When Stefan came into the clearing he rushed over, immediately taking her from the boy's grip, bumbling through his words. What happened? Why is there so much blood? Who _did_ this? The ambulance arrived soon after, he didn't know who had made the call but he was grateful.

"Mattie?" his sister's voice pulled him from his thoughts, her voice raspy and jagged. His head snapped up to look at her, relief flooding every corner of his system.

"Vicki, hey, it's fine. You're fine I'm right here." He said, rubbing her hand and leaning forward.

"…Vampire." She breathed and a single tear rolled down her cheek.

_**The Bennett Residence**_

"Bonnie…Bonnie are you okay?" Alice voice called her out of her reverie. She had been quiet for the last three hours, thinking. She had never been close to Matthew's sister but she couldn't help the sadness that sunk into the pit of her stomach. The last thing he needed was for this happen to his sister, especially after their mother left in the middle of the night never to be heard of again. That and his sister falling apart at the seams before his very eyes while he tried to keep what was left of his family in one piece. Damon Salvatore was a monster. He would pay for this; she would make sure of that.

"I'm just a little worried about Matt and his sister; I hope she gets better as soon as possible."

"She should be better the minute the transfusion settles in her system. She'll need time to recuperate but she'll be fine." Just then Bonnie received a text from Matthew himself.

**Vicki just woke up, a little worried about her mental state, but physically the doctor says she should be okay.**

_**I'm happy to hear that Matt. Let me know if I can help with anything, anything at all. X**_

She looked back up at Edward and Alice and sighed as she ran her hands through her hair.

"You said that Stefan's brother would be the death of me. Could – could you tell me what his plans are?"

"Bonnie, I don't know if that's the best idea…"

"Alice, _please_. If I know I can avoid it all too. I don't think it's fair to just sit by and let you fight my battles. That's not who I am."

"Bonnie –" Edward tried to intervene but she held up her hand shaking her head.

"It's not who I am. I can't let you two do this for me. _Whatever it is_ – not without me standing by your side. It isn't _right_." Alice and Edward grew quiet and wouldn't look at her. "_Please_?"

"I…" Alice struggled to find her words.

"Alice, I'm a witch. Granted, a new one. But I'm not completely useless. Please, just tell me what Damon wants." Sighing Alice led her to sit on one of her couches and pulled her legs up under her. Bonnie mirrored her and readied herself.

"There's a tomb here, with vampires that were trapped just over a hundred and forty years ago. Damon's intended was trapped in there too, left to desiccate. The spell that binds the opening can be undone once the comet passes and by Bennett magic alone."

"Why?"

"Someone further up in your ancestry, her name was Emily Bennett, she cast the spell and you and your grandmother are all that remains of the bloodline."

"Why would Damon kill me? Surely he needs me and my Grams alive to do the spell?"

"That's just it though… Emily will destroy the talisman that is required for the spell. In three weeks if I am correct. This will anger him and he will retaliate in the only way he knows how – with violence."

"How will she destroy the talisman? She's dead is she not?"

"All she needs is a vessel…" Edward murmured. It all fell into place then.

"…me?" Bonnie whispered. The siblings nodded in silence. "Why would she destroy the talisman?"

"She doesn't trust the vampires inside of the tomb."

"Who was she to distinguish between good and evil?" Bonnie asked, surprising herself a little. Edward smiled at that and crossed his arms as he stood near the window. Alice sighed and echoed her sentiment with a small nod. "I mean, I don't know anything about vampires or that much about humans to be entirely frank… but how was it her job to decide who lives or dies?"

"I love that you said that Bonnie, really. But the vampires trapped inside were nothing like us. They were bred under an entirely different element in comparison to us. We were bred through the element earth, where they were bred through the element fire."

"…Vampires were created by magic?"

"As was the rest of the Earth Bonnie."

"That's crazy…" the witch breathed, exhaling and wrapping her arms around her middle. Chewing her bottom lip she let Alice's words fall into a straight line of logic. "So Damon's intended is in the tomb, is he the only one that wants the tomb opened? Which necklace is it? How do we keep Grams safe? I…I need a minute." She stood up and began to pace. Suddenly Matt's sister and her apprehension towards Stefan were pushed to the back burner and everything else piled into the front. Her head began to swim; vampires, witches, tombs, comets, spells…sheer _madness_.

"Bonnie you can't open that tomb, this town wouldn't survive. In fact, if those vampires are released, their bloodlust could put a dent in the _continent_, never mind the state. There are over a hundred of them in there Bonnie. Just like Damon." Edward said quietly, his face blank as a slate as he spoke. He could hear her heart hammering in the confines of her small frame, she was horrified, and he couldn't blame her.

"I won't," she said suddenly stopping in her tracks, "I won't open the tomb. I will keep Grams safe, and I will protect Mystic Falls. I won't let Damon win." She looked between the siblings, "I don't care what it takes."

_**The Gilbert Residence **_

"Do you want to tell me what's going on Jer?" Elena asked in the softest tone she could muster with her brother. He hadn't been the same since the death of their parents, but now it had morphed into a messy pity party of drugs and bad life choices. She couldn't support it anymore, she wouldn't.

"I don't need another speech Elena…" he whined, pulling away from her and heading upstairs. She stayed on his heels as she spoke.

"Jeremy I don't care about what you _think_ you need. You obviously don't know because it's not drugs, it's not meaningless sex and it's not ignoring your sister when all she wants is what's best for you!"

"Leave me _alone_ Elena" he growled trying to close the door in her face. She stopped it and shoved it open forcefully, pushing her way into his room.

"People are going to stop giving you breaks Jeremy. They'll stop caring about how you feel and they'll stop excusing the way you act."

"I don't care about what everyone else thinks. I don't care about any of that… Vicki was attacked in the woods and she almost _died_."

"Jer, I know," Elena said reaching out to rub his upper arm, "I'm sorry about what happened to her and about whatever is happening with you right now, but you can't keep pushing me away. We're really all we have now."

"Can I get some time to myself now?" he asked, giving her pointed look. Sighing she left his room and went to her own to write in her diary. There was a light tap on her window as a small rock hit it. Smiling she opened it up and looked down at Stefan.

"Wanna come in?" She asked as a warm smile lit up her face.

_**The Bennett Residence**_

Alice had gone to the room she was sleeping in to check in on Carlisle and the rest of the Cullens, leaving Edward and Bonnie alone in her living room. For whatever it was worth Edward was impressed. When he first caught wind of Alice's visions he had been the first to tell her to ignore them. What good would it do for her to get involved in all of it? Sure, as damned as he was, as his kind was, he still believed in fate. Alice was meant to find Bonnie, just like she was meant to find the Cullens. When Alice had first arrived on their front porch even Carlisle had to admit his confusion, sure they were miraculously the same breed, but still. This petite whirlwind of a vampire girl that had so much heart to her, you simply couldn't resist being pulled by the force of it. She had brought life to their family, something Edward was sure he needed himself. Looking over at Bonnie he understood why she looked so pensive. Any second he expected her shoulders to hunch over and her horror to cave in on what was left of her sanity. But she kept herself together; she remained poised and pointed for attack. He had met some of her kind before but from what he could tell, even based on personality alone, they didn't have anything on her. She was fire, beyond her blood and powers, it burnt in her eyes. Wherever she looked, whatever she felt – the green colour was constantly simmering, whether she knew it or not.

"Bonnie?" he murmured, hoping to not startle her with the sound of his voice.

"Yes Edward?" he ignored how he felt when she said his name and instead took a few cautious steps towards her. She offered a quick crooked smile, sitting back down on the couch and gesturing that he do the same. He obliged her, barely.

"Can I ask you something?"

"…Sure, of course." She brought her knees up and looked at him, her eyes patient and reserved.

"How do you feel about vampires?" he was perched awkwardly on the edge of the couch. He couldn't risk being too close to her. Stirring up her magic had increased the potency of her scent and this being her house; it clung to nearly every surface. But she was the centre of it all, like the innermost part of a flower, where the smell was the headiest and he was trying his best not to tear his way through to her and take a breath. Because that would not be wise. She appeared to think about his question for a few moments.

"I know that by definition you are a predator," she began carefully trying to gage whether or not she had offended him, "but I think that the nature of vampires is quite similar to that of humans, but amplified. So while I know I should be afraid, I cannot muster a general fear because like humans are murderers, humans also have the capacity to do great good. I feel like the same applies to vampires." He nodded and scratched his chin.

"You are entirely something else" he said after a slip of silence. She looked surprised, "it's true Bonnie. I don't know how wise it is to see the world the way you do but it's most refreshing."

"Thanks…I think," she smiled shifting her weight, unknowingly causing her scent to rush upward and toward an already frantic Edward, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"You and Alice, you are different to Stefan and Damon. Beyond your family dynamics I mean, why is that?"

"We are a different breed, like Alice said." He was running out of air, he'd have to suck in a breath soon.

"Sure, but why. _How_?" she pressed, doing her best to make sure she still sounded patient with him.

"Could I move to another couch or something?" he said through his teeth.

"Another co-?" she stuttered before she clicked, "oh! Edward I'm so sorry!" she hopped up and put a good distance between them. He clenched his jaw unhappily, that wasn't what he wanted.

"No Bonnie, _I'm sorry._ I want to be as forthcoming about my nature as possible, for both of our sakes. I don't want you to get used to our kind, you must always be alert and I can't allow myself any sort of room to do you harm. I won't allow that."

"Edward…" she began to counter him but Alice skipped back into the room.

"Esme and Carlisle send their love and Rosalie and Emmett say hello… well Emmett growled into the mouthpiece," she all but sang as she plopped down on the couch right next to Edward. He nodded and grimaced instead of the smile he intended and Alice rolled her eyes. "Go out for a run or something, Bonnie and I will see what's on TV."

"Alright." With that one word he flashed out through the front door and left Bonnie looking at Alice curiously. The vampire shrugged as if to say 'what can you do?' and grabbed the remote control.

"Come on Bonnie, I'm sure there's something we can watch while my brother prances about in the woods."

_**The Woods, Mystic Falls**_

The soft quickness of a vampire in the forest created a hush over anything that breathed. Leaving fear in their wake and ploughing through the greenery at breakneck speed did good to hone in on their true nature. Edward caught the scent of a few small creatures but forged on, he needed to fill his lungs with something other than the smell of one Bonnie Bennett. Stopping in the first clearing he came across he pulled in a deep, long breath and held it before expelling it harshly. He closed his eyes and listened, savouring the stillness. The more he waited the more everything around him began to acclimate to his presence. The lightest objects, leaves, small twigs, loose grass began to shift and move, leaning toward him. His mouth curved as he opened his eyes. Sighing, he turned to the one thing that could ruin his mood at present.

"…_Salvatore_." he hissed.


	4. Chapter 4

_**The Salvatore Boarding House**_

Four vampires stood tensely in the living room of the old wood-panelled house while Bonnie's eyes flickered between them all. Her mouth plopped open slightly as her breath whistled between her teeth as her heart hammered loudly in her chest. She thought she couldn't be any more overwhelmed but she was wrong. She was so, so wrong…

_The previous night_

"…Salvatore_" Edward hissed as he glared over at Damon. The blue eyed vampire glared murderously back at him. Damon wanted his ring back and he wanted it _now_. Sure, he knew from first-hand experience what this vampire was capable of but it was doing little to deter him at the moment. Call him reckless, he didn't care. He had tunnel vision when it came to what he wanted and with all his years behind him spent pining and writhing in misery he wasn't about to let some golden eyed tween take that from him. Katherine would be his and so would the rest of the world, and now, he needed his ring back so that he could set it all back in motion. Tawny haired toddler be damned._

"_My ring" he breathed, his eyes bulging as he emphasised the words. Edward, someone who upon closer inspection held a likeness to his own younger brother managed a smile – the bastard. _

"_What about your ring Damon?" even the way Edward said his name irked him; like it pained him to say it._

"_Give it back."_

"_Give it _back_? Have lost your mind?" Edward asked, planting his feet firmly and his hands into the pockets of his trench coat. His voice was low and cold and somehow…bored. _

"_Edward, that's your name right?" Damon asked, changing his tactics._

"_Yes, Damon." Damon made sure he didn't show how the vampire's tone ticked him off._

"_Well, _Edward_," he said pronouncing his name like it was the dumbest thing he'd ever heard, "I want my ring back, like yesterday. I don't know who or what exactly you think you are but taking my ring away from me isn't going to do you any favours."_

"_Is this your attempt at a threat?" Edward asked, wanting to clarify._

"_No, but this is," Damon said, stalking forward at a glacial and taunting pace, "if you don't give me my ring back I will make it my lifelong goal to get to that presumably brittle centre of yours and claw my way out," his eyes danced dangerously, "and I won't stop until I ruin everything for you because taking my ring has done that to me and I don't take _anything_ lying down."_

"_I should kill you" Edward said, his voice a quiet sigh, "and someday I might, but that isn't on the cards right now. All I need to do is to protect the prodigy and keep her away from you. And unlike you, I take protecting the Bennett line far more seriously than you _ever_ have," Edward moved until he was right in front of Damon ignoring the vampire's shock at his words, "you infuriating little pest." Fury replaced the surprise and Damon's hand shot out to stab through into Edward's chest cavity and grab his heart – assuming he'd yank it out and toss it to the dirt. Instead his hand bent in on itself as the solid wall that was Edward's chest thwarted his attempt. Edward grabbed the hand and snapped it backward, a piercing scream disappearing into the trees. "No one will care if you die Damon, not even her."_

_Edward had snapped Damon's neck, using the least amount of pressure possible; he knew the fool would survive it. He'd probably wake up and yell obscenities at the trees when he realised what had transpired. He ran back to Bonnie's house and stepped in, breathing a sigh of relief, no matter how unnecessary to see her and Alice safe and in front of the television. His sister had given him a weighted look before turning to continue watching whatever was on the screen. _

"_We need to go to the Salvatore Boarding House tomorrow" he said, turning on his heel and disappearing to his room before either of them could respond._

_Present _

Bonnie was still staring at Damon. She couldn't help it, it had nothing to do with his aesthetic, however distracting he had the potential to be but it was more because he was fated to kill her. Needless to say that didn't sit very well in her bones and it didn't help that he held her gaze unwaveringly. Another thing that was keeping her flustered was why Alice and Edward were suddenly on board with them all being in the same place, the same room even. Apparently some talking needed to be done, but none had happened as yet.

"Damon tried to kill me last night" Edward said, opening up the dialogue. Alice for her part look unsurprised, but Bonnie assumed she had literally seen that coming. Stefan however was furious.

"Damon!" he snapped, "_Why_ do you keep doing this?" he hissed, running an aggravated hand through his hair.

"Can't be helped brother," the elder Salvatore replied finally pulling his eyes off of the bite-size witch, "Something about his whole demeanour just pisses me off, besides, he stole my ring. That's grounds for execution in my book." Stefan spared him an exasperated look before turning to Edward.

"For what it's worth, I am sorry." Stefan said. Edward waved him off with a small motion of his hand.

"I didn't come into your house to kill you or your brother," Edward explained, "But, I came to explain a few things. One," he was standing protectively in front of Bonnie in a heartbeat, "touch Bonnie and I _will_ kill you, I don't care what the reasoning is. Two," he looked over at Alice and then back at the brothers, "Although my sister is fully capable of handling herself the same rule applies. Three, we know all about Damon's plan so don't even bother lying about it," his brows knitted together as his eyes narrowed at Stefan who had opened his mouth to interject, "Four. I realise Stefan that your brother makes a habit of lying to you but that's not my problem." Edward's voice was cold and calculated. A shiver ran through Bonnie, her eyes dared a glance up at his face and his beauty did nothing to distract from the fury that lined his features.

"My ring" Damon said, his voice thick. All eyes turned to Edward who managed to look amused and annoyed at the same time.

"Why don't you just admit to what you _really_ want?" Edward countered coolly. Now all eyes were on Damon, the room was so quiet all that could be heard were Bonnie's deep breaths; she inched closer to Edward when Damon's eye fell on her. "That's what I thought."

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" Stefan spoke up, his eyes roaming the room before settling on the green eyed girl who looked like she wanted to burrow herself in Edward's coat.

"Stefan, we could be allies you know…" Alice finally spoke, garnering his attention.

"You're not answering my question…" he said, taking two steps towards her. She stopped him with a pointed look.

"That's irrelevant," she explained, tilting her head thoughtfully, "We can't trust you anymore than you can trust your brother. But that could change, I know you feed on animals, I can smell it on you, you're different from them, from _him_. You don't need to continue this spiral with Damon…it hasn't done either of you any good."

"Listen here _pixie_; you don't know a thing about us!" Damon snapped, more questions than answers were being raised and he was tired of being pressed down under their thumbs. It wasn't in his nature to be overruled.

"I know more about you than you think Salvatore," she said an Italian inflection surfacing as she pronounced his surname, "you think that your past is your own? Do you think for one second Emily Bennett truly relied only on you to protect her descendants? _Please_. She used you, the same way Katherine did." Damon looked like he was about to burst at the seams. Incoherent half-words spilled from his mouth as he forced himself to stay rooted to the spot instead of slapping her head off of her shoulders. She didn't know a thing about him, or his brother, or Emily or _Katherine_. _She couldn't_. Yet the quiet assurance on her features confirmed that in fact, she did. "You think you've been alive long enough to see it all twice? Think again, you don't know half of the truth and for that I am sorry but I cannot have you unlocking the tomb. It's not going to happen."

"How did you know about the tomb? About Katherine?" he asked, reigning in the blind rage that threatened to drown him, he needed answers. They would do. For _now_.

"I know everything about you Damon; what you're plans are for Bonnie and I cannot allow them to occur, beyond her life there is more at stake than you could ever imagine."

"So help me Damon control your thoughts!" Edward snapped, his arm shooting out to cover Bonnie's front from the dark haired vampire's view. She clutched onto his arm, more out of shock and returned her eyes to the blue orbs that were drilling a whole into any available surface of hers.

"What do you mean control my thoughts?" Damon hissed, his eyes dancing with anger.

"I can smell the bloodlust on you, it's …embarrassing to say the least and your mind is a cesspool." Despite the dire situation Damon still managed the eye-roll inducing smirk of his. So he wanted to have a taste of Bonnie Bennett? Surely being in a room of vampires he wasn't alone in that? "You're not" Edward said softly, so softly only the vampires could hear. Bonnie's nails were digging into the material of his clothing and if anything it kept him in place from popping Damon's head off of his body like a cork.

"We're leaving" Alice announced and Bonnie relaxed, infinitesimally.

"My ring" Damon pressed. Sighing, Edward pulled it out and closed his hand around it. Damon looked set to jump out of his skin.

"I'm giving it back to you as a show of faith…however misplaced it may be." He said as he stepped out of Bonnie's grip and Alice immediately took his place next to her. She took Bonnie's hand and held her close. Edward walked until he was an arm's length away from the elder brother. "_Fuck_ with me one more time," Edward snarled lowly, his voice dripping with venom, "and this ring couldn't stop the flames that I ensure you will consume you whole." Gripping Damon's throat for emphasis he dropped the ring to the floor and pulled Damon up off of the ground until they could see eye to eye. "And may whatever god you do or don't believe in help you if you feed on another human in this town _again_." Giving one final squeeze he dropped the sorry excuse of a vampire to the floor with a simple release of his hand. He walked back to Bonnie and his sister but Stefan's voice stopped him.

"I'm sorry." Edward turned ad regarded him tiredly.

"Don't apologise until you mean it, Ripper."

_**The Bennett Residence**_

Not five minutes after Bonnie and Alice settled on the couch and Edward went off to …do whatever it is that he wanted to do that the doorbell rang.

"It's Caroline and Elena" Alice said without even turning her attention away from the screen. Bonnie stood up and hustled over to her front door. Her two friends were dressed in onesies, juggling edible goodies and wide grins on their faces. They squealed and hauled themselves and their load inside and began chiding her about being so scarce. They didn't notice Alice until they dumped all the packets onto the living room floor.

"Alice!" Caroline exclaimed happily while Elena regarded her with quiet apprehension. The vampire stood and smiled at the blonde girl warmly. "I didn't know you'd be over… well, it's a good thing too 'cause we're fixing to have a girl's night! Interested?"

"I wouldn't want to impose…"Alice answered, eyeing out the brunette guest. Elena looked away quickly, throwing a ghost of a smile in Bonnie's direction.

"Alice, please," Bonnie waved her off, "you're my friend, of course you should stay." She smiled her best smile at the amber eyed girl who grinned in return.

"Okay!" Alice sang, "But I'm going to change into my pyjamas, this looks serious…"

"You have no idea" Caroline said with a wink, pulling a bottle of vodka out of her oversized handbag. Once Alice left the room giggling musically, Elena turned her gaze back to her friend and sighed.

"What?" Bonnie asked, with a quirk to her brow.

"Nothing, I didn't know how close you two were." Elena said, tucking strands of wayward hair behind her ear. Bonnie shrugged.

"She and Edward needed somewhere to stay while their parents were still out of town." She didn't know why she lied but was glad she did.

"You let two strangers stay in your house?" Elena asked clearly in shock.

"Sure. They're great you guys," Bonnie said looking between her two lifelong friends, "besides, my dad is always MIA so it's nice to have other bodies in the house."

"Bon, if you wanted company…" Caroline began but a sweet smile from Bonnie cut off her words.

"Care that means a lot and you know that I love you and Elena," she added before her taller friend could look even more peeved than she did at present, "But they needed a place to stay and I needed company. So it all works out and _now_," she emphasised the last word playfully, "I get to have a sleepover with my two favourite people in the world as well as Alice – who is fantastic you guys. Really, so is Edward."

"Yeah, Edward sure is something" Caroline teased with a spark of something crossing over her cornflower blue eyes.

"I hope that's good something" Edward said, having appeared out of thin air. Caroline squeaked before she could stop herself and Elena clutched at her heart in surprise. Bonnie couldn't help the smile on her face.

"Of course" Bonnie said in response to his question. His gaze locked on her and her heart keeled over. Crimson rushed to the surface of her face, flushing her cheeks and Edward's eyes flashed.

"Well, I'll leave you ladies to it." He said with and curt nod of his head before heading upstairs. Alice skipped down soon after and clapped her hands excitedly. Caroline and Elena both exchanged a look before falling into the slumber routine. Alice threw Bonnie's favourite onesie to her and jerked her head to the bathroom downstairs. Once changed Bonnie looked in the mirror and ruffled her curls, she needed a night of sane human teenagedom. She would push thoughts of spells and rings and tombs aside, and vampire boys and anything else that was outside of her home.

"To the year of seventeen." She said to her reflection and smiled, she would survive this, she _would_ survive this.

"So tell us about Stefan, Elena" Caroline said around a mouthful of marshmallow. Alice and Bonnie swapped their bowls of popcorn and M & M's. Elena smiled and ducked her head.

"He's great" she said earnestly, "smart, kind… and _ridiculously_ good looking" the other three laughed at the last bit.

"It's been what? Two weeks?" Caroline asked, wiggling her perfect brows.

"Sure, but they've been the best two weeks. Except when his brother came back to town, I can tell Stefan's been on edge about it. Why is the question, but it's obviously personal and I'm not his girlfriend –"

"Yet" Bonnie interjected with a point of a finger. Elena let out a quick laugh but nodded.

"I've been going through the motions for so long that, whatever Stefan is doing to me is making me feel like me again, but better."

"Well Greek gods are known to inspire" Caroline teased.

"No, it's more than that. His eyes, and his words and little things that I've picked up on…" The three girls ooh'd accordingly. Elena blushed and hid her face. "This vodka is making me mushy!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah!" Caroline scoffed taking another shot, "blame the _vodka_." Not half an hour later, they were rifling through Alice's clothes and hosting their own fashion show with the likes of Nicki Minaj and Calvin Harris providing the back drop. Edward stepped into the space between the edge of the stairs and the beginnings of the living room and watched them quietly. Alice winked over at him when no one else was looking but let him hover. The girls were giggling and dancing around each other and he could almost hear the alcohol sliding through their veins. Caroline and Elena's thoughts were murky, not in the clarity of his transmissions but in their coherency. Where the blonde's thoughts ran between Stefan Salvatore and himself and some other boy's names Elena's were mainly around Stefan, occasionally her parents who she recently lost. Bonnie collapsed on the couch next to Elena while Alice and Caroline danced around, striking dramatic model poses. The two on the couch smiled at each other while Bonnie took photos of her other two friends.

"How about I take a photo of all of you?" Edward offered, walking toward them and turning the music down a little. He held his hand out towards Bonnie for the camera and she obliged him. She was dressed in one of Alice's tight black dresses that would have had Edward blushing if he still had the capacity to do so. The four girls lined up and the flash went off soon after. "More?" he asked, already knowing the answer. The girls scrambled to vary their poses, laughing and wriggling this way and that. "Alright," he said, finally handing the camera back to Bonnie, "you girls go to bed, I'll clean up down here and discard all the debaucherous evidence."

"No, no no. Edward, I'll help you," Bonnie said, skipping toward him, "Okay Care, Elena, Alice. Hit the hay. I fear either one of you is about to pass out."

"You don't need my help?" Alice asked, her eyes dancing.

"We'll be alright Alice" Edward said, turning away from her. Bonnie nodded reassuringly to Caroline and Elena, who only agreed because it was obvious she wanted to spend some time alone with him.

"Goodnight" the trio said in unison giggling as they ran upstairs, leaving Bonnie and Edward behind. He turned to look at her and then upstairs, waiting. After two minutes of silence between him and Bonnie he was sure the girls upstairs were sound asleep. Well, if Caroline's snoring was any proof. He looked back down at Bonnie and smiled softly. In a flash he had the entire room clean while Bonnie stood there gaping with an empty packet in her hand. He walked up to her slowly and took it, dropping it in the black bag he was carrying. He wrapped it tightly and left it next to the kitchen door before returning to stand in front of Bonnie who had yet to move. Golden eyes met Emerald ones the world slowed.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, looking down at her. Her mouth was still open, but she couldn't close it.

"I – uh, I…yes." Bonnie stammered.

"Are you sure? Your heart is drilling a hole in your chest right now" he said, his voice soft but amused.

"Don't," she breathed, "don't listen to my heart. It has a flair for the dramatic." He smiled at that.

"I'll have to take your word for it. Did you change your perfume?" her eyebrow quirked.

"No…" his brows furrowed. Her scent had increased exponentially. It had gotten warmer, spicier somehow. She smelled like heat, cinnamon and summer rain.

"You smell, incredible," he breathed, "But don't worry, I've had centuries of practice against bloodlust, but you are still intoxicating. I hope I'm not scaring you?"

"Your words scare me, I suppose. But the way you look at me isn't about my blood. Unless you're a really good actor."

"I'm a terrible actor." He mused. She smiled at him and then pursed her mouth in thought.

"The first time I met Stefan, I touched his hand and all I felt was cold nothingness…_death_." She looked down at her hands and then back up at Edward, "I didn't say anything to Elena because I thought I was just losing my mind," she swallowed and forged on, "I wonder what will happen when I touch yours?" she let the thought hang in the air for a few tense moments until she reached out to touch him. He moved away, however slightly.

"You've already touched Alice." He clarified.

"I know that. But I was in flux then too, since coming into my powers I want to know what it'll be like, what I'll see…" he looked pained for a moment but stepped back into her space. He held out his hand quietly and she locked eyes with him as she took it. Beyond the temperature difference; her irregular heat and his impossible coldness reacted to each other. She broke out into goose bumps and gasped softly. A quick, bright vision passed through her. A meadow, coated in every shade of colour. Flowers of every shape and size riddled the circular expanse and right in the centre was Edward. His skin glittered and everything seemed to be pulled towards him. He looked like he was in a frozen state of bliss. Everything was bright and iridescent and captivating, it was nothing like when she touched Stefan. Here and now it felt like she was looking into Edward's soul and not his species. She blinked a few times and her vision focused back on his face.

"Beautiful" she whispered.


	5. Chapter 5

**Nine follows? I'm impressed! You guys are awesome. Also, someone asked if Jasper is in this, he is but I wouldn't get set on seeing him often...sorry about that**

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><p><em><strong>The Bennett Residence<strong>_

When Caroline woke up the next morning her mouth felt as though it was filled with cotton. Grunting, she flexed her limbs and wriggled around in Bonnie's bed. Elena moaned in response to her blind contact. Caroline shot up in bed and tilted her head, where was Bonnie? Ignoring the dizziness she shot out of the bed and tip-toed downstairs. She snuck into the living room and her heart warmed at what she saw. Bonnie was sprawled on Edward's lap as he ran his fingers through her hair. He looked over at Caroline, his face blank, obviously trying to gage her response. She ran her hand over her face and settled it on her hip, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Be careful with her Cullen, and that's an order." She said playfully enough but still firm in her sentiment. His eyes glowed as he took her words in.

"You have my word." He said softly, looking down at the girl who had fallen asleep talking to him. He picked her up gently and passed Caroline as he ascended the stairs, passing Elena as she yawned making her way down. The air got lodged in her throat as he walked past her and her eyes popped. "She's just tired" he clarified and went through to her room. Elena looked over at Caroline who shrugged.

"I bet she is" Elena commented softly and the two of them chuckled as they made their way to the kitchen. "Put the kettle on, I can't see straight until I have my caffeine."

"Amen to that." Caroline muttered as she found two mugs.

_Upstairs_

Bonnie moaned as she settled into the mattress but her eyes fluttered open. She froze as Edward's hand left her body and he turned to leave, "I'm awake." He stopped and turned to smile at her.

"I know, I just wasn't sure how comfortable the couch and I were," she blushed at his words, "so I thought you might like some decent rest."

"And leave you to fend for yourselves against the two downstairs? Are you sure you can handle that?"

"I'm sure I'll survive, although, not being in your company isn't much motivation." The colour in her cheeks grew darker. "Are you going to sleep?"

"Doubtful, but I do need to brush my teeth" she grimaced and immediately covered her mouth.

"Well, then I will see you downstairs."

_Downstairs_

"Should we make some for everyone else?" Elena asked as she pushed down the plunger. Caroline rolled her eyes as she watched the brunette struggling. Nudging her out of the way she resumed the process and grinned as Alice and Edward made their way down the stairs.

"Coffee?" the blonde asked as she readied everything in front of her.

"Morning ladies," Alice said, looking like she just stepped off of a runway, "yes please I would love some. Edward?" he shook his head to decline and immediately something upstairs caught his attention. Bonnie trudged downstairs rubbing her eyes, she had changed back into her onesie and looked like she could use the biggest cup in her cupboard. "Sleep well?" Alice asked as Bonnie stepped in for a hug. Groaning in response she smiled and stepped around the vampire to Caroline who already had a mug waiting for her.

"You are an angel of mercy" Bonnie moaned as she inhaled the scent. Caroline began making another batch and missed the look that ran over Elena's features. The Cullens however did not. Alice held her mug tightly, soaking in the warmth and looked up at her brother who had his eyes on Bonnie. He turned to her and tightened the skin around his eyes. She rolled her eyes and took a small sip of her coffee. "What are we doing today then?" Bonnie asked before the silence got too loud.

"Well, Stefan wanted to have dinner, he also wanted to uh…Bon, he wants to 'meet' you, like properly get to know my best friend." Elena stammered her way through her words. Bonnie sighed knowingly.

"Does he want to meet me or do you want him to meet me?" she asked; her green eyes wide and speculative. Elena groaned and then pulled her best 'puppy-face'. Her large whiskey coloured eyes widened impossibly as she stuck out her bottom lip.

"Bon," she begged, dragging out her nickname for her best friend, "please, it's important to me." Bonnie rolled her eyes but smiled, nodding her head. Edward didn't miss the tension that had Caroline's shoulders suddenly rigid. "Yes! Thank you Bonnie." Elena's eyes glittered and Bonnie hugged her quickly but warmly and then poked Caroline's rib.

"What's on the menu tonight then Forbes?" she asked as she rested her head on the blonde's arm.

"No plans," the girl replied with a sigh, "but I have homework anyways so…" Bonnie frowned and rubbed her friends shoulder.

"We're talking about this later," she whispered into Caroline's ear before she turned to face the three stonily quiet people.

"Well, I have to go, 'cause Jeremy needs help with some of his homework and Jenna is really pushing all of this 'family time'." Elena said with a soft sigh, "She should actually be here to pick me up like any second now." With that she hurried upstairs to collect her things. Caroline exhaled and spun around, with a cup of coffee for herself. She took a large gulp even though it burned the _buhjeezus_ out of her throat and smiled at Alice and Edward. Bonnie saw Elena off, who threw her goodbye over her shoulder and made her way back into the kitchen.

"Movie?" Bonnie asked to no one in particular and the girls smiled while Edward looked distracted.

"Sure!" Alice and Caroline replied in unison.

_**The Salvatore Boarding House**_

"Hello no-longer-fatal sunlight" Damon said as he stood outside and took a good stretch, "who shall we fuck with today?" he practically sang as he stretched his upper body.

"Don't even think about it" Stefan said, leaning on the doorframe. Damon twisted his torso and squinted back at his brother.

"And when pray tell, have I _ever_ thought about it? Hmm?" Damon quipped in return. "Don't you have a squirrel to sip on or something? Having you follow me around like a shadow is doing nothing for me."

"You're not giving me much of a choice Damon," Stefan said, stepping away from the frame and approaching his brother, "How is it that two complete strangers know more about your scheming than I do?"

"You're a shitty detective?" Damon offered with a lopsided grin. Stefan's lips pressed together unhappily as he frowned. "Tell me something," he went on with his hands now on his hips, "do you get paid per frown or is this just your way of ensuring that even in the frozen state of the afterlife you'll soon resemble an old man?"

"Don't start" Stefan snapped, looking out into their driveway. "I want you to tell me why two vampires are threatening you almost every day."

"Why? It literally has nothing to do with you."

"It does if you're threatening someone Elena cares about." Damon scowled.

"Do us both a favour Stefan, and save the heroics for someone who cares for it. I on the other hand am going to stretch my limbs, this house isn't nearly big enough for the both of us." He sped off before Stefan could stop him, with the devil's grin smeared on his face.

_**The Bennett Residence**_

After spending all day with Caroline and the siblings watching episodes of Family Guy, Caroline had eventually called it a day and left. Not before her and Alice could exchange numbers and plot a day for shopping up a storm. Alice had left soon after to feed and Bonnie wondered idly why she had no problem with it. _Huh, look at me acclimating_, she thought to herself. She made a call to check in on her Grams and the woman was as kooky as ever, but also made a point of asking about the Cullens. After hanging up Bonnie smiled at Edward.

"I like your grandmother" he said, looking at the floor as he spoke with a small smile.

"I think she likes you too you know, which is rare and weird. But great." She propped the upper half of her body on the arm of the couch and rested her head on her hands, never taking her eyes off of his face. His eyes flicked to her face and then back to the floor.

"Thank you for trusting us." He said suddenly, "I know this isn't something that is normal and easily understandable but you've taken it all in stride so…thank you."

"Thank _you_ Edward. Every encounter I have with Damon, I – I'm reminded how true Alice's words are and how lucky I am to have the both of you."

"You don't have to worry about him at all Bonnie" he reminded her. She nodded and then drew in a breath.

"The way he looks at me… are his thoughts anything like his facial expressions?" she phrased her question carefully, not entirely sure she wanted the answer.

"They are much worse," Edward said in a clipped tone his jaw clenched tightly, "believe me." A shudder ran through Bonnie as she took in the picture of him remembering Damon's thoughts.

"I'm glad I have you." She whispered. He looked at her then, really looked at her. She raised her head off of the couch and sat up properly, their eyes locked on each other.

"Bonnie…" her eyes fluttered and she shook her hands out, standing up.

"You're not the only one who's overwhelmed with close proximities." She said as she stood in the middle of the lounge, "You still, _sparkle_ Edward, to me… it's a little dizzying. No, dazzling." He was in front of her in the blink of an eye. She sucked in a sharp breath.

"You don't have to be afraid of me…" he said, but the face he pulled countered his words.

"I thought it was fear, but it's not. Not really. It's just, I – I, you…"

"Breathe." He prompted her. She breathed a laugh then steadied herself.

"It's your eyes, Edward." She said finally. He looked down at her confused.

"There is nothing special about my eyes Bonnie; it's you, it's _your_ eyes… your eyes are surreal. Whatever you see when you look at me is simply a reflection of what I see in you."

"Don't do that…" she mumbled feebly as she looked up at him, "don't distract me from the truth with your mouth, I mean, your words, everything you do is _hypnotic_."

"That's because I am a vampire Bonnie, it's in my nature to draw you in –"

"No," she cut him off, "it's you, I've _seen_ it Edward. _Your soul_, I've seen _you_ and it's beautiful." He froze. If he was still human he was sure his world would fall of its axis inside of his head. Air flew in and out of him as they stared each other down. "Your soul is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen." She insisted softly.

"I can't breathe" Edward gasped.

"I know that…" Bonnie said with a soft snort.

"No, I can't _breathe_ Bonnie." Alarm overthrew her features and she held his face in her hands as his knees began to buckle. His forehead rested on hers and his breathing was erratic, much like hers due to panic.

"Edward what do I _do_?" she hissed, pulling his face so that he looked at her. His eyes snapped open and they were pitch black.

"_Kiss me_." He growled and pulled her by the waist towards him. Heart hammering in her chest she found her lips crushed against his and it seemed like everything was set alight behind her eyelids. His mouth was smooth but firm, the texture of his skin taking her by surprise. Yet they were simultaneously soft as they pressed urgently against her own. Her grip tightened on his jaw as his hands pulled her flush against him. She gasped as he suddenly pulled away and slammed himself into a nearby wall. Heat flooded her system as his coldness fell away. "I'm sorry." He managed to say between his breaths.

"Your eyes were black" she whispered, clutching at her stomach.

"It happens during bloodlust but this was _different_" he said, his face distorting in his anger.

"Different how?"

"I thought blood was the only thing that could call to me like that but apparently I was wrong."

"Wrong about what Edward?"

"You. You've changed me – you've changed _everything_."

_**The Forbes Residence**_

Sitting in the house was doing nothing for her sanity. Caroline had loafed around for the rest of the day pretending to do her homework when boredom struck her. The sun had set and she didn't want to be in her own company any longer. So here she sat in her car in her driveway, thinking about the past two weeks. When Stefan had arrived at school she had thought she could finally find a distraction in him. As fickle as it sounded she needed a pretty-faced boy. After her dad came out the closet and booked it her whole life fell in on itself. Her mom drowned herself in paperwork and no matter how many meetings Caroline attended or how many cheerleading practices she headed she couldn't shake the feeling. Then Edward appeared in a similar fashion only to also be snapped up by her other best friend. Bonnie could deny it for as long as she wanted but the two of them had been ogling each other since he and Alice stepped into their history class that morning. Sighing dejectedly she wondered when something to distract her would materialise. Sure, a boy wouldn't help her solve all her unanswered personal questions like why her father had to stop being her father just because he could no longer be a husband. But a boy would be a fantastic distraction for her teenaged-self. It helped to forget sometimes. Frowning, she started her engine and back out of the driveway. Her mother wasn't home anyway – _shock_; and she needed something to do, maybe bug Matt at his shift at the Grille or whatever…

She stopped short when she saw a man standing directly behind her car. Killing the engine she turned to look at him through the back window, brows furrowed in confusion. She hooted to warn him but he didn't move. He simply stood there with his back to her and his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket with his neck craned so he could see the stars. Grunting in annoyance she got out of her car and slammed the door, ready to lay one on him about being irresponsible when he turned to face her. His dark hair was swept away from his face to reveal the most impressive set off genes she had ever encountered. His jawline was proud and perfect and his skin was a startling alabaster; smooth and luminescent. He was a head or so taller than her and could have been in the middle of a GQ photo shoot with that smirk on his face. What caused her breath to catch however were his eyes; never before had she seen the colour blue burn so bright.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you…" he began, his voice deep and seductive. She had forgotten any train of thought she might have been on, "you're friends with Bonnie Bennett and Elena Gilbert right?" she jerked suddenly annoyed at the mention of their names. Rolling her eyes she thought _of course_ to herself and crossed her arms.

"Who wants to know?" she asked with a clear edge in her voice. _Of course some random hot guy star-gazing in my driveway would ask for them instead of me! I've _officially_ lost my mojo!_ His eyes twinkled and he took a slow step towards her.

"Well I only ask because I've heard so much about you… Caroline, am I correct?"

"Perhaps" she allowed, wondering how he'd know any of them. He raised his hands and shrugged his shoulders. "What are you doing standing in my driveway?"

"Well, I was going for a walk myself but then I stopped to look up at the stars, lame I know, but lucky for me when I turned my eyes back to the earth I would see you." She huffed half-heartedly at his words. Had she not just wished for a male distraction? Could the universe be so kind?

"If you thought star-gazing was lame then you obviously haven't been hit on by yourself" she said with a sly smile of her own. He pulled air into his mouth and laughed. Even his laughter was beautiful.

"It was pretty terrible wasn't it?" he asked, looking down at his feet. When she blinked he was right in front of her and had his eyes locked on hers. "This is going to be fun" he purred.

_**The Grille**_

Even though the last thing Bonnie wanted to do was have dinner with Stefan and Elena after the whole _Edward incident_, she knew that a promise was a promise. He had shut himself in one of the bedrooms anyway and after Alice came back she gave Bonnie a knowing look and told her she'd drive her to the restaurant. So there she was, with Alice playing darts with someone from one of their classes and Bonnie sitting across from Stefan and Elena in a booth.

"I'm so glad you came!" Elena gushed as she looked between Stefan and Bonnie, her smile taking over her face.

"Anything for you Elena, you know that." Bonnie said with a smile. Matt walked past their table and groaned, catching the girls' attention. "You should talk to him" Bonnie went on. Elena frowned.

"Why? We've broken up." Bonnie glanced at Stefan and the sighed.

"I hate to be a buzzkill Gilbert but if you intend on dating someone new you owe it to smooth things over with Matt. You were friends before everything so you should be friends afterwards. It's a small town, this won't go away."

"Fine. As long as we don't have to talk about it for the rest of the night," she said looping her arm through the crook of Stefan's, "this is important to me."

"That's why I'm here" Bonnie said, her smile a little more forced than before. Stefan offered one to her and she only _just_ resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Well I'd like to get to know you better Bonnie" Stefan said, finally utilising his vocal chords, "And from what Elena has told me about you, I would like nothing more than for us to be friends."

"Well, we'll see about that," Bonnie said sharply, "As her best friend I reserve the right to grill you as often and as thoroughly as I like to ensure that you have her best interests at heart." Stefan laughed good naturedly and Elena rolled her eyes but couldn't help the grin plastered on her face. _Lord help me_, Bonnie thought, _but this cannot end well_.

_**The Forbes Residence**_

A single tear ran over Caroline's cheek but it didn't stop her from kissing him back. The wound in her neck stung but it didn't stop her from locking her legs around his waist. Her heart was thrumming with fear but it didn't stop her feeling the warped ecstasy that run through her muscles as he dropped her onto her mattress and growled in her ear. She supposed that is she was going to die tonight that in some way, she probably deserved it.

_**The Grille**_

Alice ran up to their booth and all but yanked Bonnie out of her seat and pulled her some ways away.

"Call Caroline" she hissed into her ear not even sparing the other two patrons a glance. Confused but compliant, Bonnie dialled her number…and waited.

"She's not answering" Bonnie whispered in return, panic bubbling in her stomach. Alice was never frazzled.

"Shit, shit _shit_!" Alice spat as she began to pace. Bonnie stopped her and pleaded with her with her eyes. "Damon's feeding on her. We can't get inside because we haven't been invited in, you can't go in there because he _will_ kill you and Caroline has been compelled to take whatever he gives." Bonnie's blood ran cold. Her eyes snapped to Stefan and she growled in the back of her throat.

"What do we do?" Bonnie asked, thoughts running amuck in her head.

"Wait until Caroline leaves her house" Alice said thoughtfully, "or until Damon does, he wants to toy with her…he won't kill her."

"We can't just let him feed on her!"

"We also can't make matters any worse, not until we have a fool proof plan." Bonnie nodded quickly and sharply, biting her thumbnail. "I'm calling this dinner off; we have to go back to my house."

"I'll wait in the car for you." Alice said and hurried out of the building. Bonnie ran back to Elena and grabbed her messenger bag.

"Elena, I'm sorry but I have to go" she said, throwing money on the table and hiking her strap up onto her shoulder.

"What? Bonnie, _why_?" she asked, incredulous.

"Elena, this is important." Bonnie insisted.

"So is this dinner!" Bonnie froze and drew in a breath.

"I can't do this right now 'Lena."

"What so Alice is more important than your _best friend_ right now?"

"It's not even like that"

"Then stay…"

"I can't I'm sorry." She turned away from them and ran out of The Grille without looking back.

_**The Donovan Residence**_

Matt was working another shift and for the life of her Vicki could not be arsed to lend a hand. So instead, she was on her bed, ignoring texts from Jeremy and smoking her second joint. Exhaling the plumes of smoke she forced the tears back down as she thought about _that_ night in the woods. Not only had Tyler never spoken to her again after that – why she wanted him to call she couldn't understand either – but more importantly her recurring nightmares were slowly driving her insane. The wounds in her neck had begun to stitch themselves together, but the teeth marks were still there. That, coupled with the fact that she had to have a blood transfusion was enough to send her over the edge. Vampires couldn't possibly exist but then what else could have explained what she had gone through? Matt thought she was insane, much like the woman they had her speak to after she was discharged from the hospital. 'Vampire's don't exist Miss Donovan, but PTSD does'. She sneered as the woman's voice floated through her thoughts.

"Fucking PTSD" she groaned aloud, taking another pull. As long as she didn't have another dream like last night again maybe she could survive the next day.

_**The Bennett Residence**_

Bonnie was crying in earnest by the time Alice pulled into the driveway. Edward was already on the porch outside waiting for them, looking ready to kill something. He lifted her out of the seat and carried her into her house. She wiped angrily at her face ad exhaled loudly.

"What do we do?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"My visions keep changing Edward, I keep thinking he's decided but then he changes his mind and everything along with it." Alice said wringing her hands together as she paced.

"Well, then we need to focus on the choices he's dancing between and prepare for them all." Edward answered. Alice nodded and froze, obviously wrapped up in another vision. Bonnie's entire frame was shaking. _Caroline_! Poor, poor Caroline!

"I'm going to kill him!" she spat, surprising herself. Her green eyes locked onto Edward who still couldn't look at her directly.

"We can't do that." Edward sighed, "I would have already believe me, but we can't do that."

"What do you mean we can't kill him?" Bonnie asked her voice lifting.

"He's a part of your future, we can't toy with that. No matter what the costs are."

"I don't have time to think about _my_ future right now, I _need_ to get to Caroline!"

"Bonnie," Alice said appearing in front of her, "Ssh, We'll fix this. Caroline will be fine." Fresh tears spilled from Bonnie's eyes and she really wanted to believe Alice, she really did.

_**The Salvatore Boarding House**_

"Damon?" Stefan called as he entered with Elena.

"He's not here" Zach called from the kitchen.

"Wanna meet my uncle?" Stefan asked, smiling down at Elena. She nodded eagerly. "Zach I want you to meet someone." They turned the corner into the kitchen and Stefan's nephew (however far down the family tree) greeted them with a bearded smile. "This is Elena" she held out her hand and smiled up at him.

"Hello Elena, I'm Zachariah Salvatore. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"It's wonderful to meet you."

"Zach, any idea where Damon is?" Stefan asked. Zach sighed heavily before turning back to his cooking.

"He has yet to come home" the man said shooting Stefan a look over his shoulder.

"Hey, how about I drop you back at home and we do this all again, properly, tomorrow night?" Stefan asked with his eyes on Elena. She shrugged easily and followed him out the house. Stefan knew he needed to find his brother, and fast.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Robert E Lee High School**_

"Don't you just hate Monday mornings?" Matt groaned as he ran his hand over his face and made his way through the school parking lot. His best friend Tyler was walking next to him and groaned in agreement, looking like he hadn't slept at all.

"Yeah, plus I still haven't finished that stupid assignment for class." Tyler responded with a yawn.

"You better get on it man, you know how coach gets about our grades."

"…Yeah I know, I've just been dealing with some stuff." They noticed Bonnie walking towards the building with those two new kids. Neither of them knew much about them, but if Bonnie gave them the nod they were sure that that they were cool. "That chick walking with Bonnie is pretty hot." Matt looked at Tyler and then the girl with Bonnie. Sure, she was great looking. But Matt knew about Tyler and his sister so he wasn't too pleased about the comment.

"Yeah, her name's Alice I think" Matt replied blandly. Just then the girl turned to look at them, a smile still on her face from talking to Bonnie and winked. _Weird_. Tyler didn't think so however.

"I wonder who that wink was for?" Tyler mumbled, more to himself, a grin creeping onto his face. Matt rolled his eyes.

"Does it matter? Have you seen her brother? He looks like the kind of person that could kill you with a smile on his face."

"Sure, but as long as I see that smile on her face again, it'll be worth it."

"You have a problem, did you know that?" Tyler laughed off Matt's words and jogged ahead of him. Matt shook his head but kept his pace, he was in _no_ rush to get the day started. He saw Caroline fumbling with her bag and books so he made his way over to lend a hand. He didn't know much about fashion but that scarf she was rocking was a little misplaced…you know weather wise, considering how it was barely eight in the morning and the sun was belting down.

"Care, need some help?" He asked once he was in earshot. She gasped and dropped everything in her hands, falling down immediately to pick it all up.

"Shoot…" she hissed as she scrambled to get everything. He knelt down beside her with a smile.

"Late night?" He teased once they got all her things together. She threw him a tight smile and glanced over her shoulder. "Are – are you okay?"

"What? Yes," she said and stepped away from him, "I'm fine Matt. See you in class!" and with that she ran off without looking back. _Double weird_.

* * *

><p>"I still don't like that we can't do anything." Bonnie griped, "I mean I get it...kind of, but I <em>hate<em> it."

"And we're working on it" Alice said in her brisk, upbeat tone. Edward nodded without saying a word. Stefan walked up to the trio in a pointed, business-like manner, his mouth in a flat line. Edward's eyes immediately hardened along with his jaw.

"Just hear me out" Stefan said, his hands up in a peace-making gesture. Edward made a noise in the back of his throat that would send just about anyone in the opposite direction but Stefan did his best to overlook it. "I need to know where Damon is." Bonnie scowled at the mention of his name.

"Come with me, Edward, stay with Bonnie." And with that Alice tugged at Stefan's arm, pulling him down the corridor. Bonnie was shaking; a by-product of her persistent anger that currently had no outlet. Just then, before Edward could speak, Caroline came skipping towards them.

"Caroline!" she yelled, launching herself at the girl's body. Caroline seemed surprised but pleased.

"Was the dinner with Stefan and Elena _that_ bad?" The blonde joked lightly, fiddling with the scarf around her neck. Bonnie decided to play along even though all she wanted to do was take her friend and lock her up in one of her guestrooms.

"Worse." She said, rolling her eyes for added effect, "but I don't wanna talk about that. I missed you Care."

"You saw me yesterday Bon-Bon, nothing has changed." _Wrong, you're so wrong_, Bonnie thought, but tried to smile. "I did meet a boy though!" she squealed happily. "He's the best." Bile lifted to Bonnie's throat as she almost choked on her best friend's words. "But I can't tell you any more than that! He's so secretive with stuff like that. Anyways… I'll see you guys in class. Bye!" Bonnie tried to make a grab for her but Caroline was already out of reach and Edward was holding her firmly to his side.

"Tell me again why I can't just kill him myself?" Bonnie whispered heatedly to Edward who moved to stand next to her.

"Something about the magical version of the time-space continuum." He muttered tensely in response. "Bonnie, I'm so sorry about this. Your futures are more tied together than we thought."

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked, looking up at him worriedly. He didn't look down at her when he spoke.

"That is an excellent question."

* * *

><p>When Elena saw Alice and Stefan huddled together having some private, heated debate she almost blew a gasket. First Bonnie now her boyfriend? Uh, <em>no<em>. Before she even made the decision to march over to them Alice's eyes snapped and locked on hers. She hissed something to Stefan and gave him an exasperated look before turning and walking away. Elena, wasting no time jogged over and while still looking after Alice spoke to Stefan.

"Wanna tell me what that was about?" She asked, forgetting to take the edge out of her voice. When he didn't respond she looked up at him to see he was also looking at Alice's retreating form. "Stefan?"

"Look, I have to talk to Alice. Just – I'll see you in class Elena." He hurried off and she threw her hands up, incredulous.

* * *

><p>Matt was leaning against his locker chewing on a pencil, scribbling things in his notebook when Angela dropped a flyer down the front of his page. Looking up he smiled warmly at the girl.<p>

"And what is this Weber?" he asked, sticking the pencil behind his ear and lifting the flyer to his face, "_How_ are we having a dance already? I'm barely used to the sound of my morning alarm again." Angela smiled sweetly. She had light olive skin and a plump mouth, which she pretty much always nibbled on and wavy hair was a quiet distraction when you looked close enough. She pushed up her nude colour reading glasses before replying.

"You know Caroline," she said in her naturally hushed tone, "she'll find any excuse to throw a party. Plus it's only in three weeks anyway. It's a decade dance. The twenties." She said, pointing quickly at the information on the page.

"Well that gives me three weeks to ask someone who I'm not friends with." Matt said dryly. Angela laughed, but not in a way that was at his expense, it was actually more at her own.

"Don't be silly;" she said with that smile of hers, "you wouldn't need more than five minutes." She spun away from him and made her way to the next student, missing the furrowing of his brow and the surprised smile on his face.

* * *

><p>Edward didn't leave Bonnie's side and she was grateful, she was sure if she was left alone she would hog tie Caroline and toss her in the back seat of her Prius and head out to the next state. And what would that help? Damon would just find someone else to feed off of and use as a sex toy. She could just kill him, but that would apparently screw things up as well. Or maybe she could just incapacitate him? YES.<p>

"_No_ Bonnie" Alice's voice brought her back to the parking lot after school. "Don't even finish that thought."

"The thought is finished Alice," Bonnie argued lightly, "I could incapacitate him."

"That would require you to be in a room with him." Edward pointed out in the surliest tone.

"Don't get tetchy with me Cullen," Bonnie said sharply, "I'm not going to let him do this to Caroline. Once was already too much. This is me compromising, I want to rip him to shreds but I'll settle for burying him in a crypt somewhere, leaving him to desiccate."

"Leave who to desiccate?" Stefan asked, popping up out of nowhere.

"Don't you have a girlfriend to appease?" Edward snapped. Alice laughed without humour. Stefan looked at Bonnie, who seemed to be miles away. She had been on the verge of tears all day; he could literally smell it on her.

"You mean my brother?" Stefan asked, probing for information again. Bonnie's eyes zeroed in on him.

"I've told you everything you need to know" Alice said, her tone dismissive. Stefan responded by crossing his arms.

"Bonnie," Stefan called to her, "Is everything alright?" Edward was in front of him sooner than the witch could blink.

"_Don't_" Edward seethed.

"I'm sure I could help you." Stefan went on, entirely unperturbed.

"Damon doesn't trust you, with reason if what I've seen is correct, you haven't exactly been honest with him either," Alice interjected, stepping between her brother and the younger Salvatore, "So forgive us if we don't trust you either."

"I'm here to earn your trust. If Damon is trying to hurt Bonnie I will intervene, and I don't need your consent to police my own blood." Stefan insisted.

"Just keep Elena and her brother safe, we'll protect Bonnie and Caroline. If we need you we'll call." Edward cut in.

"Okay enough!" Bonnie yelled, pulling the attention of the three arguing vampires. "Will you all stop acting like I'm not standing right here and am a crucial component in all of this? I'm not some precious painting or a secret only you know about! I'm fully capable of dealing with Damon, I can _feel_ it. So excuse me if I don't have time for this 'mine's bigger than yours' contest. I'm going to find him." she hopped into the car and Edward was about to follow her when his sister froze.

"Bonnie wait!" he yelled. Alice's lips were parted as whatever new possibility presented itself to her. Stefan watched in fascination, covering her from the other students with his arms as Edward argued with Bonnie. "I run faster than this car remember that!" he yelled as she sped out of the parking lot.

_**En route to the Salvatore Boarding House**_

Bonnie pushed the capacity of the car as she sped across town to the Boarding House. She cast the spell to conceal herself, blurring Alice's visions, chuckling nervously; why they thought she would ever let Damon get away with it was beyond her. The wheels of her car grated against the gravel as she skidded across a corner. Slamming on the brakes she was unsurprised to see Damon waiting for her in the middle of the road. She scrambled out of the car and ran after him as he sped into the woods. He was standing with his back to her as she came to a stop in a small clearing.

"Silly, silly witch." He tutted as he stood with his hands in his pockets looking up into the trees.

"Why would you do that to Caroline?" she yelled, unable to control her rage anymore.

"I was wondering how long it would take for your friends to catch wind of it, there isn't anything they don't know it seems. What a shame, I suppose they'll be here soon." Bonnie lifted the spell hiding her from Alice. She had about … two minutes?

"Answer my question!" she half screamed, her hands rose to him. He turned slowly with a grin, unperturbed.

"To get to you, of course. You're at the heart of it all Bennett."

"Would you stop speaking in riddles?"

"Let me break it down for you," he said walking toward her slowly, "There are things that have to take place in your life no matter which path you decide on. Your death, our connection, shall I continue?" Bonnie's heart stuttered.

"Feel free to shut the fuck up." Edward bellowed from somewhere behind the trees. Damon grinned in response.

"Don't you want to know how I know all this?" he asks, still disturbingly calm. "It helps if you look up once in a while." In a flash he was gone. Edward was on top of her in the same moment.

"Have you lost your mind?" he said through his teeth but then his face changed. "Oh no…" he looked up and then back down almost immediately with a hand to his face.

"Edward?" Bonnie asked before looking up herself, she let out a blood curdling scream when she saw what he did.

_**The Bennett Residence**_

When Bonnie stepped into her house the home phone was ringing. She ran to pick it up after swallowing her tears.

"Hello?"

"Bonnie, it's me."

"Dad…hey."

"I'm calling to tell you I won't be back for another month or something. There's been a glitch in the processing and paper work. But I've called Liz to ask her if you could stay at her house for the time being. She agreed."

"Dad that won't be necessary," Bonnie answered, plus Edward would probably break the Forbes' house down before he let that happen, "I can take care of myself."

"I don't doubt that but it would ease my mind if you had someone with you?"

"I don't need that; I prefer being alone in any case. It's nothing new to me."

"…Bonnie"

"_Father_" she countered using the same tone. He sighed in response.

"Just consider it."

"I did. Goodbye."

"Alright, I'll call again when I can." He hung up and she groaned, pressing her fingertips to her temples. She couldn't hear Alice and Edward but she knew that they were here somewhere, plotting ways to keep her captive no doubt. She picked up the phone again and pressed '3'.

"Bon-Bon, now I'm starting to get suspicious." Caroline giggled into the phone.

"I just wanted to call and ask if we could make plans to buy outfits for the decade dance soon." Bonnie said at the last second. A shrill squeal sounded from the other end of the line.

"I knew Alice was a good influence on you! Of course we can. I'll let you know the minute I nail down this schedule." Coming from anyone else Bonnie was sure she'd be offended, but it was so Caroline that it pulled at her heart a bit.

"Sure Care. Love ya."

"Love you Bonnie-Bon" she sang and hung up. There was a soft knock on the door and as Bonnie turned Alice was already in front of the door with her arms crossed. Never a good sign. She could still see the girl with a branch sticking through her chest and her mouth open and warped in a silent scream. Alice swung the door open and growled and even with her naturally musical and feather light voice it sounded feral.

"Please can I come in?" Stefan asked softly. Alice barked a short laugh as her answer. Stefan tried to look at Bonnie but she intercepted him with a raised brow and bore her teeth.

"And before you even think about asking Bonnie instead let's get one thing straight. I might not be able to kill Damon yet but I will kill you to prove a point. When it comes to Bonnie, there is _nothing_ I won't do. You'd do well to remember that." She spun around to face Bonnie, "And _you_. If you _ever_ cast that spell again I will put you in a tomb of your own. Don't _ever_ do that again, are we clear?" Feeling soundly chastised Bonnie nodded and looked down at the floor and then sighed.

"Can I talk to Stefan for a moment? I'm sure you'll hear the conversation anyway but I'd like to afford this conversation the illusion of privacy."

"Five minutes. And only because you asked so nicely." She sped upstairs and clicked her bedroom door shut. Bonnie wrung her hands as she took the necessary steps toward Stefan. Every time she chanced a glance up at him she saw his mouth twist and his eyes take on the fierce colour of a methane flame and his hair went jet black. Bonnie shook the image of Damon off and walked to the porch and sat down and motioned for Stefan to do the same.

"I'm assuming you know what Damon's done" she said as she looked over at him her face cold. He nodded mutely. "Do you know what he did this afternoon?"

"He killed your cousin Lucy" he answered and Bonnie's heart stopped before pounding painfully in her chest.

"She was my…_cousin_?" Bonnie's voice shook. "That bastard!" she hissed as tears spurted from beneath her lashes. First the visions, then the encounters, then Caroline and now her own flesh and blood. Granted, distant blood but the intent remained and the message was clear. _And it's my fault_, Bonnie thought, _if I had just listened to Alice maybe Damon wouldn't have had to resort to killing Lucy. Poor Lucy. _A scream shook her body as she muffled it with her hands as they angrily covered her face. A selfish part of her was glad that it wasn't her grandmother. And the larger part of her was mad because she knew the only reason she was alive and that her grandmother was alive was because Damon 'needed' them. Well, that and the Cullens of course. She was sure to be dead without them.

"Bonnie I'm so sorry" Stefan mumbled as he debated whether or not he should try and comfort her. Bonnie wiped at her face aggressively as she shook her head at his words.

"That doesn't change anything." She countered, her face twisted with bitterness.

"And that doesn't change the sincerity of my words." He said, flashing so that he was crouched in front of her. He looked into her eyes like he was trying to will her to heed his words. Her breathing hiccupped and she stood to her feet.

"You tell your brother one thing for me," she said as her eyes clouded over with fresh anger, "the minute I can he will be nothing but a pile of ashes. My condolences to you Stefan."

_**The Salvatore Boarding House**_

There was a soft knock on the door and Damon smiled to himself and flung it open while she was still mid-knock.

"A familiar face, how lovely." He purred as he took in the sight of the girl who he had taunted the Cullens and his brothers with in the forest that night.

"Why am I here?" Vicki stammered. He groaned, he hated it when they asked questions.

"Who's at the door?" Zach called. Damon's nostrils flared and he counted to three in his head. Holding up a finger to his house guest he sped through the house and pulled Zach with him until they were in the basement where there were cells and freezers filled with bags of human blood. He sneered down at his descendant and twisted his neck, tossing the man aside like he was an empty packet. He kicked the body into one of the cells, promising himself he'd clean it later and sped to Vicki.

"Come on in pretty girl." He said with the sharpest of smiles. She followed his instruction and the front door of the house slammed shut behind her.

_**The Gilbert Residence**_

"Elena?" Stefan spoke into his cell phone as he stood a few feet away from her front porch.

"Hey, Stefan." She replied softly.

"Can I come in? Or could you come outside? I'd like to talk to you." He said in the most endearing voice he could muster, he couldn't chance her saying no to him.

"Sure. I'll be down in a sec."

_**The Bennett Residence**_

Waiting. That's all Bonnie felt like she was doing; waiting for Damon to hurt someone else or for one of Alice or her visions to come true. All she wanted was a little more control over everything because she was beginning to spiral along with everything around her. And on top of everything Edward had been avoiding her like the plague whenever he wasn't keeping her safe since they kissed and he went all shark eyed on her.

"You're probably a bad kisser." Bonnie mused aloud in a breathy whisper as she sat balled up on her couch.

"Not true." Edward spoke from somewhere behind her. Instead of gasping she just sighed tiredly and let her head drop into her shaking hands. She felt Edward's cold, marbled fingertips in her hair as he lifted her head to look her in the eyes. "You're a great kisser, in fact." He said in his usual somber tone. "If I'm avoiding you for a reason, not to say that I am, it would be because you seem to have no regard for your well-being."

"I have a regard for my well-being," she argued determinedly, "it just so happens that Caroline's safety outweighs that."

"Then surely you understand how I feel as well?" he countered softly, his gold eyes boring into hers. Exhaling, Bonnie dropped her eyes from his and fiddled with her hands. He kept his hands on her face, every fingertip pressed lightly to the shape of her features.

"I'm sorry" she mumbled, "for making you worry," she clarified, "I will never apologise for trying to protect Caroline." She looked up at him at her last few words, emphasizing her point. His gaze softened and he blinked as he tilted his head; his thick eyelashes hypnotising her momentarily.

"So strong" he whispered as he stroked the sides of her face. Her heart rate quickened, almost painfully, as an immediate reaction to their proximity. "So beautiful, and so impossibly reckless." Bonnie knew, at least a small part of her acknowledged that his words weren't exactly sweet nothings but his voice numbed her. As if she was in a trance her breathing slowed even as her heart hammered on, rioting in her rib cage, soon she stopped breathing altogether as he closed the space between them, sealing her mouth with a kiss.

_**The Gilbert Residence**_

Stefan kissed Elena softly as they stood outside on her porch. She pulled away with a shy smile on her face.

"So that thing with Alice?"

"She just wanted me to apologise on her behalf about stealing Bonnie away from your dinner plans. She would have said something to you herself but she didn't want to make things worse either." Elena shrugged easily.

"I guess I did overreact a little, I just didn't know what was happening. Bonnie is never that blunt or rash about things." Stefan nodded in understanding.

"Well, I can't be entirely sure but I think Bonnie likes me. But you wanna know what I know for a fact?"

"What?" the brunette asked with playful glittering brown eyes.

"_You_ like me." He said with a peck to her mouth. She giggled.

"Is that so Salvatore?" she sighed happily as he hummed in affirmation before lifting her off of the ground and swallowing her laughter with butterfly kisses.

_**The Salvatore Boarding House**_

Damon watched as Vicki danced around his bedroom to a song by The Black Keys. Cute little thing that she was he was already growing tired of her. She was no Katherine, therefore she wasn't a patch on Elena and she had nothing on the pull of the witch's blood. Damon wondered idly what the green eyed pixie was doing tonight. Probably that brick wall shaped sullen toddler. Blowing out an unneeded huff of air, he stepped away from the wall and grinned at Vicki. She smiled back sweetly as she spun around and moved her hips in that naïve way that overshadowed any sex appeal she might have had.

"Come here" he said in a low voice and her dancing slowed as she sauntered over to him mechanically. "Drink this" he said as he revealed a gash in his wrist. If she couldn't sate his blood thirst she would be good for something else. She drank obediently and looked up at him with eyes full of expectancy. "See you in a few" he whispered and then snapped her neck.

_**The Forbes Residence**_

Caroline tossed and turned in her sleep as dreams of crows, blood, sex and startling blue eyes haunted her.

_**The Bennett Residence**_

Edward kissed her like this was the last time he'd ever get the chance to do so and she supported his tenderness fully. His hands fluttered over her petite frame as she pressed her mouth against his with fresh determination. She had her hands at the back of his neck, running her fingers through the hairs there as she sighed into his mouth. His body froze and as soon as he pulled away Alice was standing in the living room.

"Bonnie," she said, with concern in her eyes, "I want you to know that her fate was sealed. Either way this panned out, Vicki Donovan was set to die."

A thousand things ran through her mind at once and her mouth simply fell open as Matt's pain replaced the feel of Edward kissing her.

Alice stepped forward with her hand extended and touched Bonnie's face, showing her what was set to happen to Vicki Donovan.

* * *

><p><strong>Thoughts?<strong>


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